The Overture
by Cookirini
Summary: The evil that was Dark Mercury is now gone. But Ami is not yet free, for the aftermath, she learns, can be deadlier than the battle. Liveaction based. Complete.
1. The Overview

Introduction   
  
The control center was silent and dark. The table, normally filled with goodies, weapons and other items is bare. It is cool within the room, made so by its underground location, several feet below the grounds of the Juuban Crown Karaoke and Arcade. Though the hideout of many a sailor soldier, at the moment there was no one present.   
  
"Greetings, friends!"   
  
The lights clicked on. A solitary female figure stood in the doorway. She wore a pink shirt, with yellow sleeves, and a yellow skirt. On her feet were knee-high white boots, and around her waist was a chain. She had blue hair, put up into two buns and ponytails. She gave a smile, showing her somewhat crooked teeth.   
  
"Hello, everyone!" She descended down the stairs. "It's me, Luna, in my human form! Wow, it's good to be back here again! Especially after the battles we've been having lately."   
  
Skipping over to the refrigerator, the girl took out several different candies and treats. Popcorn, chocolate, cheese sticks and other assorted items came onto the table, along with plates and cups, colored blue.   
  
"Recently," the girl paused. "With the falling out between the girls who fight for love and justice, something terrible had happened. The soldier known as Sailor Mercury was given a dose of dark power, and was transformed into a soldier of evil who called herself Sailor Darkury - the Dark Mercury soldier. Led into the darkness by Kunzite, one of the four generals whom we fight, our beloved Ami-chan, Mercury's human form, was torn away from us and was forced to fight for the enemy."   
  
The girl went back into the fridge and took out various drinks, including soda, juice, milk and water. She placed all of them inside a cooler, and with several grunts dragged the cooler out into the middle of the floor near the table.   
  
"But….nrrrrgh!" The girl gave a gasp as she finished the job. "But hope wasn't completely lost. Because several things happened to help bring Ami-chan back to us, and to strengthen our position. First and most important, our princess - the lost Moon Princess, Selenity - turned out to be none other than our own Usagi-chan, who turns into the soldier for love and justice, Sailor Moon! Within her is the Illusionary Silver Crystal - the most powerful talisman in the universe. And so with joy we found that the one thing which the enemy needs to complete their mission is in our hands, safe."   
  
The girl gave a grin as she took out her cell phone. In it, she pressed several numbers.   
  
"When the power of the crystal showered onto us, the some of the girls partially recovered their memories. And I earned this!" She held it up. "Luna Prism Power, Make-Up!"   
  
With that, the young girl was immersed with a bright yellow light. When the light disappeared, the girl had transformed into a sailor soldier, with a yellow and purple sailor suit. She also had cat ears now as well.   
  
"That's right!" The girl posed. "I'm the soldier of justice and of small things, Sailor Luna! And I......I....iah.......ah.......aaaaaaaaaaaaaah....."   
  
The girl suddenly shut her eyes tightly. She quickly went to cover her nose, and her back arched back as the inevitable body function did its work.   
  
**_"......CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" _  
**

In a flash, the transformation dissolved. A golden light surrounded the girl, and the light seemed to shrink her until, finally, all that was left of the girl was a small, purple stuffed cat toy.   
  
"Ohhhhh...." The little stuffed toy shut its eyes tightly. "Oh......I hate that.......annnnnyways......"   
  
With that, the cat jumped up onto the table. It looked around the room with a slight hint of disappointment.   
  
"The decorations will come later.....well, anyways...." The cat sat down. "Another good thing that happened was Ami-chan was showered in the light of the crystal as well. So, eventually, the spell broke, though it wasn't a smooth ride even then."   
  
At this, the cat's ears perked up. The sounds of laughing voices could be heard in the hallway.   
  
"But.....that's all behind us now!" The cat jumped back up. Its yellow crescent moon sign sparkled, as if to beckon some unseen entity in the room. "Darkury's gone forever, and Ami's back with us. And now our group is stronger than ever in their friendship. So, we're celebrating to fall of the soldier of evil. Come on in and join us - there's food and treats for all!"   
  
Slowly, the door began to open. Four girls began to come in, cheering and shouting.   
  
**"Let's PARTY!!!"**

**Papirini/Cookirini Presents**

**THE OVERTURE**

** An Opera Of The Brave Mercury**


	2. OPENING: Kirari Sailor Dream: Pacoo Mix

"The darkness has lifted from me."   
  
Darkury transformed in front of the soldiers. Walking over to a group of icy stalagmites, she took off a large, sharp chunk. It turned into a glittering, transparent sword in her hands.   
  
"It feels so different now. I am no longer the monster I was before. I am no longer the threat that I was."   
  
Darkury gave a thrust, only to be blocked by Venus. The two jumped at each other, and Venus, after the pass, fainted.   
  
"My friends are free. And now, after so much friction and mistrust, we are one after this ordeal. We are stronger than ever, and I can feel the connections we have with one another. This bond flows through us like water, giving us the strength to face our enemies like never before."   
  
Darkury took up her sword. In front of the warrior was the small, child-like figure of Sailor Luna. The two stood on top of the roof of the building, both in fighting stance.   
  
"I know, sometimes, though, even now, that I fear that my sins - and my evil - will return to haunt me. That one day, the evil will again be brought forth, and that I will be uncontrollable and will slaughter those closest to me. The longer I stay with my friends, though, the less I feel the threat."   
  
Sailor Moon's wand shattered and fell out of her hand. Darkury looked on, with considerable satisfaction as the unresponsive blonde soldier collapsed in front of her.   
  
"Perhaps Usagi-chan is right. Perhaps that time is gone. Perhaps the evil has been banished."   
  
The look on Darkury's face turned from one of pleasure to one of horror. She dropped on her knees, cradled Sailor Moon in her arms, and began to scream as the tiara fell from her fallen friend's forehead.   
  
"Perhaps there is nothing to worry about."   
  
Ami, with an angry throw, flung the dark wristband onto the ground. It lay, stationary, in the grass of the Dark Kingdom Garden.   
  
"Perhaps……"   
  
The jewel within the black wristband slowly changed color. It went from black, to a dark purple, as Ami and Usagi left the forest.   
  
"……perhaps."   
  
o0o   
  
**_Hitomi wa itsumo JUERU   
BODI ni matou RAME ANDO CHAAMU! _**  
  
A silhouette floats in a light. When the light dies down, revealed is Princess Serenity, dressed in her finest white gown, with the moon in the background. She looks over and smiles.   
  
**_Ikite yuku koto wa   
try get a chance! _**  
  
Serenity's face comes closer, until all that is seen is the moon sign that is upon her forehead. It flashes brilliantly, fading until we see….   
  
**_Koko ni aru kara tsuyoi yume…. _**  
  
**Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon   
(Takeuchi Naoko-PNP-Toei-CBC-CAZBE-dentsu) **  
  
….Sailor Moon appears in a Silver Milennium-era building. She turns several times, bathed in golden light. She turns into Usagi, and lip syncs the words of the title song into her cell phone. She runs out of sight.   
  
**_GANGAN kechirashitekou… _**

__   
  
Sailor Mercury appears in a blue light under the sea. She turns, transforms into Ami and sits at a desk in a classroom, wearing her school uniform. Usagi suddenly appears and brings her into the ancient building. Then, Usagi disappears again, and Ami begins to sing into her cell phone.   
  
**_RAIBARU darake no mahiru… _  
  
**Sailor Mars appears in a red light in a fiery inferno. She turns, transforms into Rei, and sweeps a room inside Hikawa Temple, wearing her temple garment. Usagi appears, and almost drags Rei into the temple. With a thumbs up, Usagi runs back out, leaving Rei to try and mimic Ami's movements in the song.   
  
**_Egao yori kuchibiru yori… _  
  
**Sailor Jupiter appears in a green light within a lightning field. She turns, transforms into Makoto, and is inside a gym, wearing pink workout pants and a jacket while punching a bag. Usagi appears, ushering her out of the sweaty room, and Makoto appears at the temple, wiping her brow with a towel. Usagi runs out just as Makoto gets her phone out.**   
  
_AIBIIMU ga KIMEWAZA! _  
  
**Sailor Venus appears in a gold light inside a sparkle of spotlights. She turns, transforms into Minako, and is clapping her hands inside a concert hall filled with screaming fans. Usagi suddenly appears, leading a shocked Minako out. All five then stood in the building, lip-synching into their cell phones.   
  
**_Watashi ni nare   
KIRARI to sailor diamonds! _  
  
**Usagi suddenly leaves again, this time appearing in the streets of Tokyo alone, her eyes squinted. The sun is beginning to set, and the river is next to her.   
  
**_Yoake ni umareru GAADIAN   
Watashi da kara kanau yo   
starlight prayers! _  
  
**In Usagi's hand is a handkerchief. Wrapped in it is a lustered, old looking watch.   
  
**_MEIKUAPPU shiyou yo   
Kirameki wa mune ni   
SEERAA senshi sore wa   
MUUNRAITO RIARUGAARU! _  
  
**Human Luna stands behind Usagi as she walks. Her tail swishes, and she is about to follow, but sneezes. She turns into cat Luna and falls on the ground.   
  
**_Matsuge wa fusete mukuchi ni   
Hosoi ashi kara tears rain   
Ano KO no miteta tooi michi   
Kitto mitsukaru tsuyoi mirai _**

__  
Usagi closes her eyes. In front of her, on the bridge, is Hina and Mamoru. They are together, holding hands and looking into each other's eyes.   
  
**_Zenzen HEIKI demo ne   
HAATO wa shogechau n da   
Sonna toki dare yori mo   
AIBIIMU de anata ni….. _  
  
**A tear falls from Usagi's eye. It drops onto her brooch, and the brooch flashes brilliantly**.   
  
****_Watashi ni nare   
KIRARI to sailor wings! _  
  
**Princess Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask stand together. In front of them is the dark purple column that holds Queen Metallia's power. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask slowly hold hands.   
  
**_Daichi wo kakenukeru GAADIAN   
Watashi da kara dekiru yo kono BATORU……. _  
  
**Sailor Moon, with her other hand, points her crescent moon wand, which then transforms into the Princess Harp Sword, at the column. In front of the column was the figure of Queen Beryl. She points towards the two lone figures, and a powerful blast comes from her finger.   
  
**_MEIKUAPPU shite yuku kirameki wa hitai   
SEERAA senshi sore wa   
MOONRAITO FOOCHUN…….. _  
  
**Sailor Moon's tiara flashes, and the crescent moon appears on her forehead. The Princess Harp Sword, also, glows, and from Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon comes a bright white glow. It blasts out at Beryl and Metallia, engulfing them both in the light.   
  
**_Watashi ni nare,   
KIRARI to catch me kiss again! _  
  
**The light disappears, with Mamoru and Usagi together at the bridge. Usagi is unconscious. In response, Mamoru bends down and kisses her on the forehead.   
  
**_SEERAA fuku no RIBON hodoite   
Watashi da kara iranai mou nani mo….. _  
  
**Slowly, Usagi wakes up. She looks up at Mamoru, a look of surprise on her face. She drops the muffler and the watch on the ground.   
  
**_MEIKUAPPU sono toki   
Kirameki wo ageru   
SEERAA senshi _  
  
**Mamoru sets Usagi on a bench nearby. He goes back, picks the muffler and watch up, and slowly returns it to her. However, Usagi shakes her head as he offers the muffler back. She gives it back to him.   
  
**_Sore wa EBAARASUTINGU RABU! _  
  
**Mamoru, touched, sits down on the bench next to Usagi. By this time, the sun had set, and the moon and stars now shine brightly in the sky. The two begin to come in closer, not for a kiss, but simply to hold each other.   
  
The four girls, back in their sailor forms, watch the scene. They take turns in singing, instead of lip-synching.   
  
**MERCURY   
****_"Watashi ni nare   
KIRARI to sailor diamonds!"_   
  
MARS   
****_"Yoake ni umareru GAADIAN   
Watashi da kara kanau yo"_   
  
JUPITER****_   
"starlight prayers!   
MEIKUAPPU shiyou yo" _  
  
VENUS   
****_"Kirameki wa mune ni   
SEERAA senshi sore wa-"_   
  
_"MUUNRAITO RIARUGAARU!!!" _  
  
**"Huh?"   
"Wha?"   
"Who?"   
"Muh?"   
  
The four girls look down. Sailor Luna is sheepishly grinning.   
  
"Sorry, girls."   
  
The moon shines in the sky.   
  
_**SEERAA senshi sore wa   
MUUNRAITO RIARUGAARU!** _


	3. 1st Movement

1st Movement   
  
"Welcome back, Ami-chan!"   
  
The confetti flew out of the poppers, showering all over the four young girls as they cheered. They jumped around, hugging and laughing, and eating candy and sweets as they celebrated.   
  
"Welcome back!"   
"Oh…" Ami blushed furiously. "Oh, thank you."   
"Its good to see everyone together again, like this." Luna smiled. "Such a celebration is our gift to you.   
"Definitely, its nothing much!" Usagi gave Ami a fierce hug. "But its something still! Let's go on celebrating with a song. From our favorite idol. Of course, an Aino Minako song!"   
"Usagi-chan!"   
  
Ami could not help but smile as Usagi hustled her onto the stage-like step of the control room. With a flick of the switch, Usagi turned her cell phone on, and tuned it in like a microphone.   
  
"Let's go! Karaoke style!"   
  
On cue, the music of Minako began to blast from unseen speakers. With a nudge, a wink, and a laugh, Usagi began to sing into her microphone.   
  
"Stirred by impulses," Usagi began, "that there's nothing I can do.That has begun for me now, feelings searching for you…"   
"Just like predictable movies and books are boring." Ami smiled as she sang. "When life is a little bit off, it might be more fun."   
  
The two girls laughed and giggled, almost as if they were drunk. Makoto, smiling, began to sing as Ami and Usagi began the chorus.   
  
"This warm feeling is c'est la vie!!" The two almost screeched. They pointed at each other at this part. "As long as I am me, c'est la vie! I want to keep on being in love with you. Running through the place where this moment lives right in front of me."   
"Why is it that people have but one chance to live life?" Usagi hugged Ami. "Why does time not stand still even for one second?"   
  
In the audience, Makoto laughed. Luna, now human, began to clap along with the song. Rei, though visibly happy, did not participate in the singing; she simply gave a smile of contentment.   
  
"Just like an unexpected someplace," this time, Makoto's voice came up, "causes sores from the shoes on my feet, from time to time someplace in my heart feels pain."   
"I know I will find you, c'est la vie!" The three sang together, though Makoto did not leave her seat. "That's the reason I am me, c'est la vie! That's the reason you are you. I can't see anything, but I want to see something. So I chase after you!"   
"This warm feeling is…!" Usagi gave Ami the floor. "Go on!"   
"C'est la vie," Ami's voice slightly shook at the beginning, becoming more confident as the chorus neared its end. " As long as I am me, c'est la vie. I want to keep on being in love with you. C'est la vie, that's the reason I am me. C'est la vie, that's the reason you are you."   
"Running through the place where this moment lives!" Usagi suddenly jumped in at the end. "Right in front of me! Right in front of me_EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK_!!!"   
  
As the song ended, Usagi tripped over her two feet, falling straight onto her face. The girls began to laugh at this.   
  
"Oooo-oooh!" Ami bent down and grabbed her hand. "Usagi-chan, are you all right?"   
"Yeah…" Usagi meekly smiled as she was pulled up. "Bah. Ruined the song with a single move."   
"I found it amusing," Rei suddenly piped up smugly.   
"Aww!!" Usagi pouted. "Rei-chan. How cruel can you be?"   
"Hey, hey!" Makoto stood up and smiled. She gave Ami a big hug. "No fights. We're a team again. Let's not fight anymore, ok?"   
  
A flicker of sadness passed as a shadow over Ami's face as Makoto said this. She hid it with a smile.   
  
"Yes." She closed her eyes. "Let's not fight anymore."   
  
--------------------   
  
"So Darkury is finally gone."   
  
Minako sat inside a large, empty board room, tapping her fingers on the table. She looked down at several pieces of paper, then at the door.   
  
"I wish they would hurry up."   
"Darkury, gone, yes." A muffled voice came from Minako's purse. "It certainly will help when everyone's memories fully awaken that we're all back on the right side."   
"If they awaken."   
  
There was a hint of bitterness in Minako's voice. At this, Artemis' head popped out of the purse.   
  
"Mina-chan, why such little faith?"   
"Artemis." There was a hint of exasperation in Minako's voice. "They should have awoken long ago. Usagi turning into the princess, that alone should have brought it all back. Yet…..nothing."   
  
Minako gave a sigh. She wisped her hair back from her face.   
  
"Maybe…..it's all over-"   
"Mina-chan!" Artemis poked Minako's leg. "Don't say that. You have to give them time. They are not like you; their experiences are different. Instead of saying they have awoken too late, one could say you awoke too soon, you know."   
"Hmph."   
  
Minako paused. She rubbed her head, giving a slight moan as she did. She shut her eyes tightly. She said nothing for a moment.   
  
"Mina-chan."   
"I……." Minako shuddered. "I'm all right."   
"Don't despair."   
"I…..don't know." Minako sighed again. "Time is running out."   
"But…..at least Darkury is gone." Artemis gave a nod. "She's gone. That demon will no longer plague Mizuno Ami for as long as she lives."   
"That depends on how you say 'plague'." Minako pursed her lips. "Perhaps not in physical form. But the ramifications of the aftermath-"   
"Minako! You in there?"   
  
Minako's head came up. Artemis immediately jumped into the purse as several older men entered the board room. One by one, they sat down.   
  
"Minako." Minako's manager sat down next to her. "We want to discuss a new single from the upcoming album with you. Normally, the company would not allow a singer to choose their next single…"   
"…..But?"   
"But the success of 'C'est La Vie', written by you, gave them pause." Minako's manager nodded to the men, who nodded back. "It's still number one, but they want you to pick the next single personally. It will make an impression on the people, and will give them incentive to buy _Rainbow_ when it comes out in July."   
"The album will be called _Rainbow_?"   
"Well….yes, of course." A few chuckles came from the producers. "Dedicated to the, uh, many skin colors of your fans, of course. We think its going to be big, very big, especially with the tour coming up soon as well."   
"Hm." Minako gave a smirk. "So…you want me to pick the next single?"   
"Yes."   
  
The men all looked at her, awaiting her response. Artemis, watching from below, could tell from her tone that the men had inadvertently managed to take Minako's mind off of Darkury and everyone else.   
  
"Now," the men all looked at her. "Did you have any particular song in mind to release as a single before the album comes out?"   
  
-------------------------   
  
"Wow, it feels good to be back."   
  
Usagi gave a smile to Ami as they proceeded down the hall of their junior high school. Ami, on the other hand, had her head down, and her face was filled with worry.   
  
"Nothing bad's going to happen today. No test today!" Usagi looked at Ami. "Ami-chan?"   
"…..Usagi-chan."   
  
Ami stopped. She looked up at Usagi, her lips quivering.   
  
"Usagi-chan……did I……did I do anything to the students?"   
"Did you…." Usagi paused. "Ami-chan…"   
"I have…..a feeling." Ami-chan shook. "Please, Usagi-chan, be honest with me. What did I do to the students under the spell?"   
"Ami-chan."   
  
Usagi clasped Ami's hand tightly. She looked into Ami's eyes, and could see the sadness and fright in them. It almost seemed to swim in her blue eyes like tidal waves.   
  
"Ami-chan, listen to me." Usagi smiled. "Whatever she did, she is not you. Please, understand. What you may have done, it was forced on you. Those feelings, they weren't yours…"   
  
Ami looked away at this. She looked frightened, almost to the point where she was about to cry.   
  
"I…..I did do something…" A tear came down. "I know I did…..I turned them against you…"   
"Ami-chan!" Usagi clasped her hand tighter. "If the classmates do anything to you for it, I'll defend you. They can't harm you, because I won't let them!"   
"Usagi-chan!"   
  
Ami and Usagi looked up. In front of them was Naru, Kanami, Momoko and two other students. They looked somewhat annoyed.   
  
"What are you doing with _her_, Usagi-chan?"   
  
Usagi opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly fell silent, save for a squeak. Ami quietly bent her head down.   
  
"…Or did you forget _again_?"   
"Uh….guys!" Having finally found her voice, Usagi finally spoke. "Look, whatever happened between you and me in thepast couple of days, and however you recovered from it, please don't think badly of Ami-chan. Honestly, it wasn't her fault that it had happened….it was all mine."   
  
The three stared at Usagi with open mouths. Ami looked up at Usagi, her eyes wide.   
  
"Usagi-chan…!"   
"…..What….." a snort came from Naru. "….Are…you _talking_ about, Usagi-chan?"   
  
Suddenly, the three girls began to laugh. It was Usagi and Ami's turn to gape as the three girls giggled and gasped for breath.   
  
"Naru-chan?"   
"Usagi-chan." Momoko rolled her eyes. "If you were going to be with Mizuno-san, you should have at least told us last night."   
"Last night?"   
"So you did forget, Usagi-chan?" Naru smiled. "Our date at the new karaoke up in Shinjuku?"   
"O….Oooooh!" Usagi turned red. "Oooh, I'm sorry. I….guess I forgot about it."   
"That's ok, Usagi-chan." Kanami shrugged. "It was a bad night anyways. We ended up getting there late, and we had to stand in line for an hour and a half. And when we _finally_ got in, we couldn't even sign up to sing because the sheet was full. You didn't miss a thing, Usagi-chan."   
"I bet," Momoko nodded. "You were probably doing something more productive with Mizuno-san?"   
"Well…….yeah."   
  
Usagi looked at Ami, giving a warm smile. Ami, meanwhile, kept on gaping at the three girls, her face confused.   
  
They…… Ami looked down, her thoughts sinking in. …..don't remember?…   
  
"Come on." Naru motioned with a laugh. "Silly Usagi-chan. We'd better get to class."   
  
Usagi laughed uneasily as she followed the girls into the 2-A classroom. Ami said nothing, but simply kept her head down as she followed them.

_"Ami-chan!"   
"Don't presume to talk to Mizuno-san like you know her."   
"I will keep our battle out of here, Tsukino-san. But for now…." _

Ami stopped at the doorway. Inside of the classroom, the students had begun to congregate into their groups and cliques. There was laughing, talking, the shuffling of papers and food as everyone began to prepare for class. Ms. Haruna was not in the classroom yet, as was made apparent by the bustle within.   
  
_………They don't remember….. _  
  
Yet Ami dreaded entering the classroom. Though on the outside, she pretended to agree with Usagi, on the inside, she was afraid. In the students' laughing, she could see the condemnations of her actions in the past; in their eyes, a tiny flicker of the dark energy she had tainted them with. One false movement, one wrong word, and the memories would come back to them…   
  
"Ami-chan!"   
  
Ami's head came up with a gasp. Usagi was looking at her with an ezpression of worry on her face.   
  
"Are you all right?"   
"I…"   
"Usagi-chan." Naru looked at Ami. "What's wrong with her?"   
"Oh…..well, uh…."   
  
Usagi began to sweat. She looked at the ground, her mind thinking of every excuse it could.   
  
"Ami-chan……was sick for a few days," Usagi finally replied. "See, she had a touch of a cold or something. And, her mom is also on a trip to Europe. So Ami-chan's not only been sick, but she's a little broken-hearted as well."   
"Oh…..Mizuno-san!" Naru looked surprised. "Well, I guess that explains why you were with her last night, then."   
"You know…" Momoko looked at Ami. "Now that you mention it, Mizuno-san Idoes/I look a bit pale. Will she be all right today?"   
  
Ami looked at each girl's face, studying each of them carefully. There was a look of concern on Naru's face, as well as on Usagi's, while Momoko and Kanami held looks of nonchalant questioning.   
  
"I'll…." Ami smiled faintly. "I'll be all right…..I'm sure…."   
  
--------------------   
  
"And so, when we go and divide anything in parentheses with a square root first…"   
  
Ami stared at the board, her body tense with worry. It had been a great struggle to try and keep herself calm during the day, and it was only getting harder the later it got. She was certain that someone in the class remembered that she had cast a vex against Usagi, and she exchanged glances with those whom caught her attention in any way. It didn't help that it was a warm day, and the heat inside the room was making her choke on her breath.   
  
_I know what they're thinking…._ She shut her eyes as sweat began to dot her face. _"Oh, Mizuno-san is acting so strange….." And then, someone, anyone, will suddenly go, "Wait! I remember." And then, they'll all look at me, and-   
_  
"Mizuno!"   
  
Ami gave a gasp. Everyone was looking at her as her mind came out of her thoughts. She took several deep breaths to compose herself and wiped her brow.   
  
"Mizuno."   
"T…."Ami gulped. "Tangents, Haruna-sensei?"   
"No, do question number five. I've been off tangents for an hour!" Haruna looked slightly exasperated as several of the members giggled. "Mizuno, were you even paying attention?!"   
"N…." Ami's head came down. "No, Haruna-sensei."   
"……Are you all right?" Haruna put her chalk down. "You look as pale as a sheet."   
"No, she doesn't, Haruna-sensei." At this, Naru piped up. "She hasn't been feeling well for some time."   
"Hmph." Haruna crossed her arms. "Our sick genius. Just what we need today. Osaka, escort Mizuno to the nurse."   
"Yes, ma'am."   
  
With that, Naru took Ami by the arm and stood her up on her feet. Wobbling slightly, Ami allowed Naru to take her out into the hallway, her head still down.   
  
_Stupid…….STUPID!_ Ami silently cursed herself. _Why, why did I think such foolishness? Why must I be so paranoid? Darkury is a memory the students no longer possess. Yet why, why must I make things hard on myself? What am I doing?! _  
  
"Here we are."   
  
Naru brought Ami into the small, white-washed office and sat her down in a chair. In front of Ami was a small brown desk, vacant, with the sign "Naka" on it. Behind it were two cots, and windows with the blinds drawn. Ami noticed, upon looking around, that she was the only one in the office.   
"Hmm. The nurse must be out." Naru looked at Ami. "Will you be all right?"   
"Yes…..I'll be fine."   
"I'm going back to the classroom." Naru gave a thumbs-up. "See you later."   
"Right…."   
  
Ami watched her as she walked out of the office. As soon as Naru was out of sight, she gave a moan and beat her head into her hands.   
  
_I am so foolish._ Ami rubbed her face. _I really believed they'd remember Darkury. I'm getting so worked up over nothing. It's nothing, Ami. It's no- _  
  
**CLI**-**BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ **  
  
Ami's head sprang up at the sound, only to catch the last glimmer of light from the ceiling as the power flickered out.   
  
_What the….!_   
  
Ami stood up, almost tripping over herself in the darkness. She shut her eyes for several seconds, then opened them again, in an attempt to adjust her eyes to the new darkness. Under her, she could feel the rumble of the back-up generators.   
  
_….Good._ Ami began to take in a breath of relief._ Just a little power outage, that's all… _  
  
Ami closed her eyes, then opened them once more, expecting the lights to come on. Nothing happened. On the other hand, the rumbled from below seemed to be getting louder, and the ground felt like it was shaking.   
  
"……..aaaaaaah………"   
  
Ami's head snapped up at the sound. There was no mistaking the sounds of screaming students. It echoed from the hall, coming down into the office, coming through like an unrelenting, screeching crescendo of warped hawk calls.   
  
"….Oh no!!!"   
  
Ami bolted out of the office, almost falling to her knees as she did. She looked up at the dark hall, her eyes widened as the sound of screaming kids became louder. She didn't even know where to start, for the sounds seemed to be everywhere.   
  
_The screams…._ Ami covered her ears. They began to pound into her relentlessly. _No……the students…..!   
_  
Then, all at once, it was silent. Slowly, Ami looked up, and uncovered her ears. The hall seemed darker than ever, and no sound came from any of the classrooms.   
  
"H……hello?"   
  
Her hello was given a reply with an echo of hellos, each that repeated itself more and more faintly, until the sound was gone. Her heart began to pound when she received no other reply.   
  
"Hello?!?!" she screamed. "Hello?!?!?!?!? _HELLO_?!!"   
  
There was still no reply. Panicking, she rushed into the first classroom. There was no one there. In the next classroom, no one. In the next classroom, nobody.   
  
And in her classroom, there was nobody, and there was no Usagi. All that was left were darkened classrooms, with no power, and no light.   
  
_God, no.... _Ami's eyes widened. _Usagi…..the students……gone……..an enemy! _  
  
Suddenly, a new noise startled her. It was a beeping noise which, in harmony, was that of "C'est La Vie". She looked over at her schoolbag.   
  
_….My cell phone… _  
  
As quick as she could, she attempted to search out the cell phone in her bag. It lay there, in between her biology and history books, beeping and chiming merrily. As fast as she could, Ami snapped open the receiver and pressed the send button.   
  
"H-hello?!" she stammered. "Who is it?"   
"……..Mercury."   
  
Ami's heart froze as the voice finally came into her ear. It was the voice of a man who, more than ever, struck her heart with fear. She never thought, or perhaps never let it be known, that she was still haunted by the thoughts of her turning away from her friends. The man, he who spoke to her now, was a symbol of what she had done.   
  
**"Well, well, well."** The darkness of the classroom seemed more menacing to Ami as the voice began again. **"You sound quite upset. I certainly must have picked a bad time to call, didn't I?" **  
"….K……" Ami almost dropped the phone in shock. "Kunzite."   
**"You thought it was so easy to leave the dark, Mercury." **A chuckle. **"I think I will show you otherwise." **

"What…." Her voice shook. "Wh-what have you done with the other students?!"**   
"In good time, Mercury."** Ami shut her eyes tightly at this.** "The students are, at the moment, unharmed. And they will continue to be unharmed as long as you obey my instructions, which I shall give presently." **

"But wh-"   
**"Obey, and they will not be harmed."** The voice repeated itself, only it was harsher. **"Are there any misunderstandings about this?"**

**"…..N-no."   
"Perfect."   
  
**_No…._ Ami's mind raced. _No. No. No. No. No. Please, no. Let this be a dream….   
_  
**"Now that we are clear who is in control,"** The voice came back after a pause, **"Let us begin the tasks which you will have to perform in order to insure the sparing of lives. You will leave the school as soon as this phone call is finished, and you will head to Hikawa Shrine by foot. There, you will be met by your friend, Sailor Mars, and you will tell her what has happened to the school. You will then make plans to go to Sakura Square, and you will go there tonight, at six o'clock." **

"Sakura Square?" Ami gasped. "But…..but that's in Yokoha-"   
**"You will make plans to go to Sakura Square at six o'clock."** The voice cut her off. **"Further instructions will be given upon the completion of the assignment. You will also obey my instructions to the letter, otherwise, consequences will be rendered. Do you understand?" **

"Yes…."   
**"Do not think that I will hesitate to kill any of your classmates if you deviate from these instructions in any way; I will be watching. And you know it would be fruitless to commit outside interference, so do not attempt to call the authorities."   
  
**Ami's shoulders slumped. She knew how much choice she had in the situation. A small tear came from her eye at the realization**.   
  
"Remember." **Kunzite's voice echoed through her ears. **"Hikawa Shrine. Sailor Mars. Sakura Square at six o'clock. By foot. Or _else_."   
**  
Then came the click, and Ami flopped to the floor, covering her face with her hands.


	4. 2nd Movement

2nd Movement   
  
The darkness was settling in quickly on Juuban.   
  
It was a wonderful sensation to see what was happening, and know who was involved in it. Soon, it would be night, just as the deep caverns of abode always were. The caverns, as the city would be, were as dark and mysterious as they were cold and foreboding, and yet the figure liked it that way.   
  
_It will be… _The figure smiled. _Absolutely perfect….   
_  
The figure looked down at its hand and smiled. In it was a small, purple jewel, which glowed dimly in the darkness of the caves. The sounds of faint screams began to fill the figure's mind.   
  
_There is so much fright in here… _The hand clenched around the gem_. But it is little compared to what I am preparing for….too little.   
_  
The figure turned and smiled. Lying on the ground in front of her was Usagi, unconscious and dirty. Silently, she moaned.   
  
_Don't worry. _The figure's smile became venomous as Usagi spasmed in front of her. _Take your time. It will all be over soon…. _  
  
----------------------   
  
**BEEEEPBEEEEEEEEP **  
  
_So….hot…. _  
  
Ami wiped her hair from her face as she stumbled along the sidewalk. The faint marks of tears still laced her face, even after her attempts to wipe them away.   
  
_Gone….. _Ami took in a breath. _Usagi-chan….   
  
"Ami-chan!" Usagi pulled Ami along. "Don't worry. I'll be your friend! Let's help each other from now on."   
  
I come from the dark…….I came back to them…. Ami looked down. And yet…..it came back.   
_  
  
_"You…..what have you done to Ami-chan?!"   
"Show them."   
"Ami-chan…..this is a joke, right?"   
"Which one am I going to fight?" Darkury - Dark Mercury, the soldier of evil - stood before the three soldiers, her hands on her hips. "Or shall it be all three at once?"   
  
He's back….. _Ami's mind flashed. _He's come back. He wanted to kill me before, and now he's going to do something terrible to Usagi-chan. I fear what else he will do to the others, but I have no choi-   
_  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!"   
  
The screeching sound was followed by the sound of crunching metal and shattering glass. Ami's head turned over and saw a tire come rolling over to her.   
  
"Oh my….!!"   
  
Ami ran over to the middle of the street, where two cars - a Ferrari and a minivan - lay in ruins at the intersection. Quickly, she flung open the driver's door.   
  
"Aaaa-aaah!" An older woman tumbled out. "Oh dear, what a crash! Hoo, thank goodness for airbags-ooooh, Ami!"   
"Huh…?"   
  
Ami blinked confusedly at the red-haired woman who promptly giggled at her. Then, like a light bulb, realization sunk in.   
  
"Ooooh….Ikuko!" Ami pulled her up. "Tsukino-san, are you ok?"   
"Oh, perfect! Just fine." Ikuko stretched. "I'm doing pretty well. Just wrecked the car, that's all!"   
"Oh, dear!"   
"Aaaugh!"   
  
Ikuko and Ami looked over at the Ferrari. A young woman jumped out of it, her face red.   
  
"Good God!" she shouted. "Can't you look where you're going?!"   
"Ooh, I'm sorry!" Ikuko giggled. "I was just being silly. The light was out and I didn't even bother to look both ways."   
"Being silly?!" The woman growled. "I just paid a good fortune for this car! I hope you're a rich woman, because you'll be paying me for the damage on this!"   
"Of cour-"   
"The light?"   
  
Ami tuned out of Ikuko's conversation and looked up at the traffic light. To her shock, it was, indeed, out.   
  
"The light is out?" Ami looked at Ikuko. "Tsukino-san, the school lights are out as well! There must be a blackout…."   
"Well, don't worry!" Ami trailed off once she realized that Usagi's mother was not even listening to her. "My husband is a newspaper editor. Tsukino, he works downtown. And this is the first time I've ever been in an accident like this. Truly, the lights are out!"   
"Well, you should have been looking where you were going regardless!" The woman, irritated rolled her eyes. "Some people…!"   
"Well, it looks like I'll be late for making dinner tonight." Ikuko turned to Ami. "Ami, could you tell Usagi I'll be late in….Oh."   
  
Ikuko gave a giggle. Ami was already halfway down the street.   
  
"Well, I'd go chase her, but….well, look at my car!" Turning back to the other driver. "Now, what's your name again?"   
  
---------------------   
  
The sweat poured off of Ami's brow as she jogged up the hill as fast as she could. At the top, however, she stopped, almost falling to her knees from exhaustion.   
  
_Oh god…. _Ami's head was pounding. _Oh god…..what have I done…? _  
  
**_"Let us begin the tasks which you will have to perform in order to insure the sparing of lives. You will leave the school as soon as this phone call is finished, and you will head to Hikawa Shrine by foot. There, you will be met by your friend, Sailor Mars, and you will tell her what has happened to the school. You will then make plans to go to Sakura Square, and you will go there tonight, at six o'clock." _**  
  
_I can't…give in to Kunzite. _Ami covered her face. _He seeks me. He is doing this to me. Playing with the lives of innocent people to get revenge upon me…!   
_  
Ami looked up towards the distance. The peak of Hikawa Shrine's hill was visible, and Ami could almost pick out the leaves swaying in the breeze. From there, too, she could see the district, and its lack of lights. For in the farthest distance, Ami could see the next ward, seemingly unaffected by the power outage.   
  
_It's a trap…. _Slowly, Ami picked herself up. She started running once more down the street. _It's a trap, it's a trap, I know it's a trap, it's……all just……a trap for me……but what….will he do next……..Oh, help me, someone……… _  
  
------------------------   
  
"……Hm."   
  
Minako's head came up. Her eyes slowly slit. It was almost like a knot in her head, almost like the onslaught of a tension headache, only with no pain, and with colors dancing in front of her. She could see the red, and the blue, and another, darker color in her eyes, and a figure in front of her….   
  
"So, are we in agreement on the song deal?" One of the producers leaned in. "Minako?"   
  
Minako looked at the producer, her face confused. The producers all looked back at her, their nonchalant glances bringing her back to the situation at hand.   
  
"Um…."   
"'Romance' is the song we agreed to." Minako's manager looked at her worriedly. "Are you all right?"   
"Y-yes, I'm….fine…." Minako gave a nervous smile. Her vision became hazy and out of focus. "I'm sorry. I'm not feeling very well at well at this moment. Actually, I…..where is the nearest bathroom from here?"   
  
The men all began to laugh at her question. Minako, on the other hand, turned a shade of an embarrassed red at her situation as she stood to leave. She did not realize how much she had been concentrating on her vision until then.   
  
"Down the hall, to your right, Minako." Her manager gave a nod to the other men. "We'll finish this up."   
"Th-thank you."   
  
Excusing herself as quickly as she could, Minako almost ran into the bathroom with her purse in hand. She quickly ran into the first available stall and threw herself at the toilet just as her body tensed up for the inevitable.   
  
"Minako….!"   
  
Artemis popped his head out of the purse. He looked up at Minako, his face filled with worry.   
  
"Artemis….."   
"Minako."   
  
Minako's lip had the slightest trace of ketchup on it as she swallowed down her desire to bring more up from her stomach. Her face was caked with sweat as she slid down the side of the stall, trying her best to catch her breath.   
  
"This….isn't going to work."   
"Artemis…."   
  
Minako wiped her hair out of face. Things began to flash through her mind - her album, her tour, her duties, and the sailor soldiers. She rubbed her head.   
  
"I have no choice, Artemis."   
"You don't?" Artemis shook his head. "Minako, you put this on yourself. You need some rest too, you know."   
  
Minako gave Artemis a wary look at this. She didn't wish to admit she was really wrong at all in pressing herself on, and it was apparent in her expression.   
  
"….I saw an enemy." Minako wiped her lips. "We should be going. Venus will be needed today, unfortunately."   
"But the meeting? It's important for your career…."   
"My manager will understand. It's almost over anyways." Minako slowly got up. "I'll just have him cancel my other engagements. I need my rest, you know."   
  
At this, Minako gave Artemis a slight smirk and put him back in the purse. Several mumbles came from within as Minako returned to the room.   
  
"Gaah," came the whispers. "You are priceless, Aino Minako."   
  
--------------------   
  
The stairs up to the Hikawa Shrine from the street numbered approximately fifty-two. Slowly, Ami crawled up the stairs, the sweat pouring down her entire body now as she finally neared her destination.   
  
_Must……..keep….. _She gasped. _This heat……must keep…..going…… _  
  
She tried her best to make it; two hours with no water on such a hot day, however, was too much for Ami. She finally collapsed on the last six steps.   
  
_Must………keep………   
  
keep……..   
  
"What do you want, Kunzite?"   
"Nothing much……just you."   
"I'm afraid I cannot give you that, Kunzite, if you mean it in a non-professional way." _  
_"I am your master, Mercury. You shall do whatever I say, or else."   
"NO!"   
  
Ami screamed. Her scream echoed and shattered into a million pieces, bouncing off of the corners of a void of nothing.   
  
"Leave me alone!" _  
_"But you're mine, Mercury." Giant, gnarled hands appeared around Ami, clasping her within them. A purple aura engulfed Ami. "And you are **Mercury of the Dark. Dark Mercury. Sailor Darkury.**"   
  
Ami's eyes widened as her clothing changed. Her school clothing shifted, lightening as the shirt became shorter and the Mercury sign appeared on her head. Her shortened hair became a shade of periwinkle.   
  
"That voice…….It's" _  
"Ami-chan?"   
  
The sensation of cold water splashing into her face was her first foray into consciousness as she was jerked out of the blackness of the illusion. With a gasp, her head jerked up and her eyes opened.   
  
"Huuuuuah!"   
"Ami-chan!"   
  
Strands of dark brown hair came into view as Ami's vision came into focus. Set against the plain wooden ceiling of the shrine, Rei's hovering figure materialized quickly. As soon as it did, Ami realized that she was on a bed in one of the rooms, which was entirely lit with candlelight.   
  
"Oh…..Rei-chan."   
"Ami-chan." Rei's face was set with some worry. "Are you all right? You didn't even hear me calling you when you were coming up the stairs, and I was only several steps behind the whole while. Then you collapsed right in front of me!"   
"Oh, I…." Ami slowly sat up. "I was just…..I was just exhausted. I'd had a long day, that's all."   
  
Rei's face set into a suspicious grimace. Ami, in return, gave the dark-haired girl a meek, nervous smile.   
  
"…..Something has happened." Rei frowned. "I can sense it in your eyes. We weren't sent home from the school for no reason than just a local blackout, were we?"   
  
Ami looked away from Rei, unsure of what to say. As soon as she did, however, she shut her eyes, as a wave of fear came over her once more.   
  
**_"You are to go to Hikawa Shrine…." _**  
  
"Rei-chan." Ami shut her eyes. "What time is it?"   
"….It's one-thirty seven." Rei's tone became condescending. "You're hiding something from me. What's going on?"   
"…..Rei-chan, I…."   
  
Ami paused before going on. Something within her stopped her from going all the way with an explanation. Perhaps it was a secret fear of being thought as collaborating with the enemy once more; after all, he had only contacted her and no one else.   
  
"….We've been given a challenge." She carefully tried not to speak of Kunzite. "We must go to Sakura Square at six o'clock tonight."   
"_Sakura Square?_"   
"Yes. We have to go….there…..Rei-chan?"   
  
Rei-chan's expression of suspicion had only deepened as Ami-chan had spoken. She took Ami by the shoulder and shook her slightly.   
  
"Ow! L-let go of me!"   
"I didn't hurt you. Why Sakura Square?" Rei came in close. "How did you get this challenge? Did the enemy contact you?"   
"I…." Ami turned red. "Yes. They did."   
"How?" Rei looked flabbergasted. "Unless…..what did you tell them as Darkury? And…" she came in closer. "Where's Usagi?"   
" I….I don't _know_!"   
  
Ami began to cower slightly at Rei's questions, despite the fact that Rei's prodding was not at all violent or demanding. She was afraid now, though, afraid of what Rei would think of her if she thought that, perhaps, Kunzite had somehow gotten a hold of her cell phone codes or some other vital information. Though she did not recall telling Kunzite anything about how to contact the cell phones, she figured him to be smart enough to learn when she wasn't looking, or perhaps when she was being converted, he could have looked through her possessions….   
  
"I don't know, Rei-chan," she repeated pleadingly. "A-all I know is that I'm supposed to go to you and plan out a trip to Sakura Square, and the city is all blacked-out and people's lives are at risk. And somehow, I'm in the middle of this…..I was of the dark once…..and now….they're-"   
"Ami-chan!" Rei stood up. "Just tell me. If the enemy has captured Usagi, and they've challenged you and I, then why are you reluctant to say so? Of course I'd go with you to fight, but you're still holding something back from me. Who sent this challenge?"   
"….It-"   
  
Suddenly, with no warning, and no expectation, the phone rang. Both girls' hands instantly went to their side, only to have Ami come up with hers ringing. Hesitantly, she clicked the phone open and turned it on.   
  
"….Hello."   
"**Mercury.**"   
  
Ami's blood froze at the sound of the voice coming through the earpiece. She gave a shudder before replying.   
  
"You…" She gathered up her courage and steadied her voice. "I did what you asked of me."   
"**Perhaps you did.**"   
"Rei-chan knows what to do." Ami looked at Rei, who stood silent. "I'm awaiting my next instructions."   
"**Very well.**" There came a chuckle. "**You can be feisty when you want to be. Just like back in the old days before you went back to them.**"   
"I…." Ami's voice quivered. "I wish for you not to refer to that."   
"**I only refer to the truth of things, Mercury. I know I don't lie, for I haven't lied yet.**"   
"-I-I wish for my instructions."   
"**Very well**." Another chuckle. "**Instructions, then. Simply go over to the window and draw the blind up.**"   
  
Ami put the phone away from her ear. She looked at Rei worriedly.   
  
"Open the curtain, Rei-chan."   
  
Rei's eyes slit as she gave a nod. She walked over to the window and threw the curtain open.   
  
**_"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!" _**  
  
Rei gave a screech as the hideous, deformed face of a monster stared back at her. She threw the curtain back down and glared at Ami.   
  
"A good taskmaster you have, whoever it is…" she murmured.   
"Wh-what?!"   
"**Hehe…**"   
  
Ami looked at Rei, then back at the phone. She tried to speak, to protest what was out there. Yet she found her mouth was dry, and she was unable to speak.   
  
"**You and Sailor Mars will fight the demon. When you are finished, I will call you once more with further instructions.**" Ami's eyes began to water as another chuckle came from the speaker. "**Defeat him…if you can**."   
  
The phone clicked off as soon as the voice had finished. With that, Ami covered her face with her free hand.   
  
"Oh no…….and Usagi-chan is….."   
"Ami-chan!"   
  
Ami looked up at Rei. Rei was up, her transformation band on her wrist.   
  
"This is no time for weakness." Rei looked down on Ami. "Let's beat this enemy first, with or without Usagi. Then, you can tell me what is going on."   
"Ok…."   
  
Ami managed a smile. Something about Rei's attitude for her reassured her that, perhaps, she was being premature in her assumption that it was all over for her. She stood up, facing Rei.   
  
"Usagi-chan was kidnapped by the enemy." Ami held her wrist up. On it was the glittering transformation band. "The blackout may also be the enemy's doing too."   
"First the youma, then we'll deal with everything else."   
  
Rei looked over at the window. She spread her legs out, did a fighting pose, and did several hand movements. After a moment, Ami followed suit.   
  
"Mars Power!"   
"Mercury Power!"   
"Make-Up!"   
  
The wristbands transformed into large glowing jewels, which flashed brightly in response to the incantations. Both became consumed with the bright light of her respective planet - Rei with the powerful, flaming red aura of Mars, and Ami with the soothing, waving blue aura of Mercury. Their hair and their clothing changed to reflect their powers and elements as sailor soldiers.   
  
"Sailor soldiers," Finally, the two each stood, their sailor forms revealed. "For love and justice!"   
"Sailor Mercury!"   
"Sailor Mars!"   
"….Hang on…."   
  
Mars looked sheepishly as Mercury as she pointed outside. Slowly, it dawned on Mercury what it was that was wrong, and couldn't help chuckling.   
  
"Hmm…." Mercury grinned. "Perhaps it would be more befitting if we actually introduce ourselves with the youma present."   
  
Mars nodded, and with both hands, she pulled open the window. First Mercury tumbled out, followed by Mars, who closed the window behind her.   
  
_"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!!!!!!!" _  
  
The youma's head instantly turned towards the two girls. Its red eyes slit as it slowly analyzed who was in front of it. In return, the two girls slowly went into position.   
  
"Let's be prepared, Ami-chan." Mars looked at the youma while she spoke. "We may or may not have a challenge with this one. But I won't let this win over me easily."   
"Right."   
_  
_The youma acted quickly. It lifted its robe off, revealing its underside as being comprised of armor of flaming feathers. Its hands were flaming bird talons, as was its feet. The two soldiers barely had time to dodge as its talon slashed through the space between them.   
  
"YAH!"   
  
Mercury did a back-flip and landed on her feet. Mars did a half-circle turn on her tiptoes, taking out an _ofuda_ scroll as she did.   
_  
_"Aku….ryo……tai……san!"   
  
As soon as the scroll came out of her hand, however, it was apparent to Mercury how effective the attack would be, and she quickly scrambled to her feet to assist Mars. For as soon as the scroll left Mars' hands, the youma's talon caught a hold of it. The paper merely turned to ash in contact with the flame.   
  
"What the…."   
  
Mars' shocked mutterings were met with the youma's fiery breath. With a scream, Mars fell to the ground, her clothing torn, rubbed and burnt.   
  
**"REI-CHAN!!!!" **  
  
Mercury glared at the youma as it stood triumphantly over her friend's injured form. From where she lay, Mars looked at Mercury with wide eyes.   
  
"Ami-chan!!"   
"This won't be forgiven!" __

"Kunzite!"   
  
The hallways. The day the princess woke up within Sailor Moon.   
  
"She's my game."   
  
Sailor Darkury stared at the downed Sailor Moon, her eyes filled with hatred and incomprehension at her former friend's compassion and emotional outburst. They had battled, and in the middle of it, Kunzite had pushed her out of the way just as Darkury was getting the second wind she needed to gain the upper hand. She walked forward, brandishing her ice sword, intent on slaughtering the quivering, shaking girl where she sat.   
  
"Today's different." Kunzite's sword suddenly barred her way at her neck. "She's mine."   
  
The sword went up. Darkury cared nothing that Kunzite would win the battle for her, and that he was about to kill her friend. Nor did she really care for the male groan of agony that suddenly came into her ears as Kunzite's sword hit its mark with a horribly clean precision.   
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"   
  
Darkury looked at Kunzite in annoyance as he stood over the two figures, his sword hovering over them. One of them was Sailor Moon, screaming with tears in her eyes. The other was a limp Tuxedo Mask, whom Sailor Moon was holding in her arms.   
  
"Master." Kunzite looked down, smirking. "Good work."   
"Kunzite!" Finally losing her patience, Darkury spoke up. "Don't interfere with me."   
"Mercury."   
  
Darkury was suddenly pushed violently to the side as Kunzite spoke. His tone was calm as usual, though there was a hint of amusement in it as well.   
  
" Be patient."   
  
Darkury gave a slight growl at this. She could feel the hair on her body bristle up at the sight of her prey being taken away from her, and her instincts told her to fight Kunzite with tooth and nail. Still, she managed to keep herself in check.   
  
"You know," she managed with a good amount of restraint, "that I hate being bossed around."   
"Really….."   
  
At this, Kunzite turned to Darkury. His smirk was unsettling, and it induced more anger within Darkury, as it was even more amused than before.   
  
"…..A thing like you?"

Mercury gave a snarl at this. Again, Kunzite, it appeared, was again mocking her. She hated it. It was especially angering because, now, another friend was at the mercy of the youma, of the enemy.   
  
This time, however, Mercury knew she was a good guy this time. And she was determined to stop it this time.   
  
"Leave her ALONE!"   
  
The youma turned towards Mercury. It gave a snarl, letting out a pair of long, fiery wings. In response, Mercury took out the Mercury Tambourine and pointed it at the youma.   
  
_"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!" _  
  
With an earth-shaking screech, the phoenix bird-like creature lunged at Mercury. Mercury brought the tambourine up to her face, staring as the bird came closer to her. Soon, she could count how many rows of teeth the youma had in its raging, snarling mouth. Still, she waited.   
  
"AMI-CHAN!!"   
  
Rei's scream, though not intended, was the signal. Mercury's hands spread apart. The tambourine glowed brightly.   
  
"Mercury….Aqua…..Mist!!!"   
  
The water attack deluged the youma straight on. It gave another piercing scream; this time, one of pain. In response, it, too, spread its hands out.   
  
"Ami-chan!!!!" Mars struggled to get up. "Watch out-!"   
  
Mercury took a step back to avoid the attack. By this time, however, it was too late.   
  
**_"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!!!!" _**  
  
The giant ball of fire came right towards Mercury. With a scream, Mercury was thrown back by the force of the attack. Above her, the blue sky wavered and blurred as she flew, instantly being overshadowed by green.   
  
"Ugh-"   
  
Mars' screams suddenly became distant as everything suddenly turned black. There was no sensation in Mercury's body, simply a darkness she could not quite overcome. Her thoughts seemed to slip from her, leaving an empty space for unconscious escapades to come and creep into the forefront from the edges of her mind.   
  
_Rei-chan……………..rei…….ch…………..ch……………………. _


	5. 3rd Movement

**3rd Movement**   
  
"You……you killed my Midori!"   
  
The red-faced man stared down the cloaked warrior as he drew his sword. It glittered in the moonlight as the blade came up to eye level.   
  
"This…." he croaked. "….This is unforgivable. No man ever harmed Midori as you have. And you shall be assured that I will never let you harm another man's wife ever again."   
  
In response, the cloaked figure slowly drew its sword. It was a long katana sword, stained red and rusted from much use. It pointed at the man, as if measuring its neck.   
  
"We shall see about that, Hunei-san….."   
  
A gloved hand slowly went up to the hood of the cloak. It clasped the cloth and threw it off of the head of the swordsman. Its eyes stared back at the man as it leveled its sword down.   
  
"But," The scarred woman croaked. "I am no man."   
  
The man gave a shocked cry. He stumbled back several steps, almost falling onto his back.   
  
"No…." He screamed. "It cannot be…. **_MIDORI!!!!!!_**"   
  
As se stared at the television set inside the control room, Luna's eyes widened as the woman gave the man an angry, snarling glare. With a gasp, she shoved more of Usagi's popcorn into her mouth.   
  
"W-wow!!!" she gasped. "Midori is the Bloody Samurai!?"   
"**_We'll be right back to 'Change of Hearts' after this message from our sponsors. 'Hi, I'm Kuroki…'_**"   
  
Luna dug into the bottom of the popcorn bottle, only to find there was no more popcorn. With a slight whimper, she put it down.   
  
"Oh no…!" she squeaked. "Usagi-chan will smack me once she finds I've eaten all of her popcorn! Oh…..where are the fried beans?"   
  
Quickly, Luna ran over to the refrigerator and brought out a can of refried beans. As fast as she could, she poured it all into the popcorn bottle.   
  
"…..There…." Luna smiled. "At least that will hold until I can get another batch of popcorn from the store. She won't notice the difference anyways. Hmm…."   
  
Luna looked at the clock on the wall. It was 2:30.   
  
"I've got time." Luna took out her cell phone. "Maybe I should call Usagi-chan and tell her what's happening on the show. She likes this one, after all…"   
  
As quick as anyone with a good thumb, Luna quickly pressed the digits to Usagi's cell phone. She then brought it up to her ear with a grin.   
  
"**_I'm sorry. The number you've reached is disconnected…._**"   
  
Luna's face fell at the sound of this. After several moments, however, her expression became one of confusion.   
  
"Huh?" Luna re-dialed the number. "'Disconnection'? What's going on here?! This isn't right at all!"   
  
The signal repeated itself. Luna looked down, then back up at the television set. The screen flickered onto the news just as Midori's sword had plunged into, and slid through, the belly of Hunei, her husband.   
  
"**_Mi….do….._ We interrupt this program to bring you an important announcement.**" The newscaster came on. "**There have been reports of a power outage in the Azabu Juuban district of Tokyo. Reports of sabotage from an unidentified intruder at the Juuban power plant are being investigated at the moment….**"   
"A saboteur?!" Luna said aloud. "Perhaps….the enemy! I'll have to investigate! Luna Prism Power, Make-Up!"   
  
As quick as it could through the magic of the Silver Crystal, Luna's pink cat dress transformed into a yellow and purple sailor suit. As soon as she finished, she ran out of the command center, her crescent wand in hand.   
  
_…. __  
…………………   
…………..   
…………   
……..grass._   
  
Sensation returned to her slowly. It first returned to her as the blades beneath her began to tickle her cheek, stimulating her skin and, in essence, her mind. Slowly, Mercury's thoughts came to.   
  
_……Grass………green grass. __  
  
Where am I…..   
  
There's a bird._   
  
A chiming sound echoed into Mercury's ears. It sounded sweet, like a bird's, though it seemed only a fleeting thing, for it disappeared. Then, however, it suddenly came back, louder than ever.   
  
_Bird……..chirping…….wait……_   
  
It took some time for Mercury to fully remember, to fully comprehend. She was still in the hands of her subconscious, swimming ignorantly through a stream of confusion.   
  
Then the phone rang again.   
  
_………..Rei-chan._   
  
Mercury's eyes bolted open. Her hand went straight to her side. As soon as she did that, however, a searing pain came to her head. With all of her willpower, Mercury fought it off and clicked open the phone.   
  
"H…..hello."   
"**Good afternoon.**"   
  
Mercury's head came up at the sound of the voice. Everything flooded back to her, and she shook her head. Her eyes caught the burn marks from the youma, and the spot where Sailor Mars was. Neither the youma - nor Mars - was there anymore.   
  
"**You seemed so charming and sweet lying there.**" The voice gave another chuckle. "**So peaceful and quiet. I almost could have sworn you were dead. Sadly, though, you weren't. Ah well. That may be rectified later.**"   
"…..You….."   
  
Mercury struggled to get up. Her head was pounding as if a hammer struck it, and her knees were shaky from the hit she had taken. Nevertheless, she managed to straighten herself up.   
  
"….You….." Mercury gasped. "You took Rei-chan too, didn't you?! Admit it!"   
"**I have nothing to hide.**" The voice almost laughed. "**Yes, It was all my work. You are quite observant.**"   
  
The urge to rage rose inside of Mercury's heart. In her weakened state, it took everything she had to push it back down, to think clearly.   
  
"**I will say that you put up a good show against my youma, Foenicalise - I took a good amount of time and energy to create it, just for you.**" Mercury clenched her fists. "**But your ending here…..disgraceful. If you had just kept to the dark, your skills would have been much better.**"   
"I will never return to the dark." Mercury growled. "Especially not under you."   
"**Perhaps not, but its still a shame, nevertheless.**" Another chuckle. "**If you had to fight Darkury right now, I can assure you that you wouldn't stand half a chance against her. You'd fall to her sword before you even had a chance to transform.**"   
"I don't care. Darkury's gone."   
  
There was a long silence at this, followed by a click. At first, Mercury thought that Kunzite had hung up, and pondered turning the phone off. Before she did, however, the voice finally gave a chuckle.   
  
"**.....A small loss, to be certain, upon looking back.**" The chuckle died down. "pb]But enough. For Foenicalise is still alive, still on the prowl, so to speak. It is now heading towards the South Juuban Apartment complex as we speak. If you understand the danger, then I suggest you get there as soon as possible.[/b]"   
"South Juuba-"   
  
Mercury gasped. She looked at the phone, looked down, then, without thinking, turned the phone off. As fast as she could, she broke into a dead run.   
  
_Oh no……Mako-chan!!!_   
  
------------------------   
  
The figure slowly turned the phone off with a smile. For a moment, it had almost let its guard down at the mention of Darkury. But the figure managed to persevere through the conversation.   
  
"Excellent work, Foenicalise." The figure smirked. "We're getting there."   
  
The youma gave a grunt in reply. With that, the figure turned back behind her. On the floor was an unconscious Rei, her clothing burnt from the battle.   
  
"This is turning out better than I had planned." The figure turned to the youma. "Go to the apartment. I will meet you there and give you the signal."   
  
With a bow in response, the youma disappeared from the cavern. As soon as it left, the figure slowly took out a small, frayed picture. It was of Usagi, Rei, Makoto and Ami, all in their uniforms, all smiling. Of the four, however, two of the faces - Usagi and Rei's - were both crossed out with a red ink.   
  
"Two down….." The figure smiled as it tapped the area of the picture where Makoto's face was. "One to go."   
  
-------------------------   
  
"Ow!"   
"Hey!"   
"Kid!" The man shouted. "Watch where you're going!"   
"S-sorry…."   
  
Ami went head first as she pushed through the throngs of people on the sidewalks in the southern tier of the district. She was unsure of why there were so many people out in the suburb areas, at least for one moment. Then, she remembered.   
  
_The blackout._ Ami shuddered. _As long as there is no power, no one can work properly. So they've sent people home._   
  
Ami looked around. It was getting to be very hot on the streets; the time of day when the daily high was to be reached would soon be near, and it left almost a million people without any electric. When she added that to the fact that Makoto's room was on the 14th floor in her apartment building, and heat rose, she shivered slightly. If she thought it was bad on the street, she knew that Makoto's place was a potential oven.   
  
_The enemy…._ Ami's school clothing was drenched with sweat. _…..They know their targets well. Good work, Kunzite._   
  
Finally, after what felt like forever, she finally spotted it. The apartment rose up over the smaller buildings around it like a beckoning obelisk of glittering gold. Ami gave a deep breath of relief; there seemed to be no sign of the youma in the area for if it was there, there would be widespread panic and chaos.   
  
_I just hope….._ Ami slowly made her way to the apartment building entrance. _….that I'm not too late, and Mako-chan is home._   
  
The heat within the building crashed into Ami like a train wreck. She almost couldn't breathe as she slowly, painfully, went up each flight of stairs, because the elevators were out of service. The heat choked her, it clung to her body, forcing it to churn out more and more sweat. Her head began to pound violently from the exercise.   
  
_Must……make…….it…….._   
  
Finally, the 14th floor came upon Ami, and she almost collapsed again, then and there, at the top of the stairs. She had to stop, and sit, holding her head as it pounded from the lack of water. It took several minutes of rest before Ami willed herself to finally make it to Makoto's apartment door. As hard as she could, she threw her fist at Makoto's door, knocking on it six times.   
  
"……Hello?"   
  
The door opened, and, to Ami's surprise, a cold breeze escaped from the room, fanning the sweat on Ami's brow. She nearly threw up at the sudden change of temperature.   
  
"Oh…….oh!" Ami almost stumbled into Makoto's arms. "Ami-chan! What are you doing here?!"   
"J-just taking a stroll...."   
  
Ami almost melted in Makoto's arms as Makoto carried her inside her apartment. The air conditioning was on - an impossibility to Ami, especially in a place that had a blackout.   
  
"You're all drenched!" Makoto's tone became slightly scolding, then became gentler. "Come on, Ami-chan. Get changed into some of my clothes. Man, it must be _hot_ out there!"   
  
Ami looked all around her as Makoto threw her some light clothing. The electric was on; the television, the lights, the fans, everything was working as if nothing had ever happened. Bewildered, Ami went into the bathroom, slowly dressed in Makoto's clothing and came out again. She left her school clothing in the bathroom.   
  
"Lemonade?" A glass was suddenly thrust into Ami's face. "Your face is completely red and you look dehydrated. Sit down! The reporters are talking all about the blackout. All the schools and businesses in Juuban and a couple of sub-wards in lower Roppongi've been knocked out by it. They don't know when power's going to be back on."   
"Mako-chan..." Ami slowly took the offered drink. "Mako-chan, something has happened..."   
"Good thing I....ahem.....didn't do to school today because my plumbing needed to be fixed!" Makoto sat down on the couch. "This building's got a good back-up generator, but the owner didn't want to take a chance, so he had the elevator service shut down and stuff. So it's like a sauna outside of here!" Makoto turned back towards Ami. "Is something wrong, Ami-chan?"   
"The enemy has attacked."   
  
Makoto's smile collapsed at Ami's words. Quickly, she was up, her eyes ablaze.   
  
"Th-the enemy?!"   
"They've kidnapped the entire school....and Usagi-chan." Ami looked into Makoto's eyes. "And then, Rei-chan. There's a youma that is heading right for here….to kill me and take you back with ir. "t to the Dark Kingdom."   
"That…." Makoto growled. "They took Usagi-chan and Rei-chan?! Those generals…."   
"But….Mako-chan." Ami looked at Makoto pleadingly. "Its Kunzite. The general who turned me to the darkness. _He_ is responsible for this alone; he wants revenge on me."   
  
Ami looked down in contemplation. Her mistake with Rei had been her reluctance to allow Rei in on the fact that the entire attack on the city was, in many ways, her own fault. She didn't want to make the same mistake with Makoto; it was bad enough that Kunzite was using innocent lives without compounding guilt by not warning who she could about the danger.   
  
"This is all my fault…"   
"And so he's kidnapping us to make a point to you?" Makoto cracked her knuckles. "Well, I won't let him take me without a fight, and neither should you."   
"Wh….what?"   
"Ami-chan, listen to yourself!" Makoto stared at her. "You're taking a defeatist attitude about this. Where's the Ami-chan that saved Usagi-chan from turning into a youma - by Kunzite, no less?"   
"But what can I do? Mako-chan, I don't want to risk your life."   
"You can't let them win, no matter what! In the end," Makoto turned away again. "I would risk myself to save you from Kunzite, no matter what you say. You should risk it to save yourself from him as well!"   
"It's different now!"   
  
At this, Ami stood up. Her face filled with sadness and fear. She looked down at the floor, her hands clasped together.   
  
"Because…..I was there." Her voice squeaked. "I was with the evil that wants to kill me. I…..maybe I can negotiate with Kunzite, and…..but…..no, he wouldn't." A small tear came from Ami's eye. "He will kill me. This time, he knows everything…..he will risk your lives to get me…..and…..I can't bear that! I don't know, maybe I can risk myself…..but what about you, what about the students? I can't stand the thought of being alone again…and……and I….I almost feel like Darkury is…still alive."   
  
Before Ami could go on, however, and before Makoto could admonish her fears and anger, the phone rang. The two looked at one another, staring at each other with unease, before Ami finally picked it up.   
  
--------------------   
  
"**Hello.**"   
"Mercury."   
  
The synthesized mouthpiece always went in before each conversation. It took several bites down to make it work properly. Nevertheless, it was worth it.   
  
"**….It's him, isn't it?**"   
  
The figure gave a chuckle as Makoto's voice echoed into the phone. With a smile, it opened the blinds in the small, rented room. Across the street was the South Juuban apartment complex, where, through the window, the figure could see Ami's quaking figure.   
  
"**It looks like I beat you here, Kunzite.**"   
"Yes….I see you're at the South Juuban Apartment building, though I wouldn't say you….beat…..me there." The figure's smile became wider. "Good. You have some good instincts, Mercury. I didn't even have to finish telling you what to do."   
"**Quit your teasing of her, Kunzite!**"   
  
The figure paused as Makoto's voice came onto the phone again. It looked up at the 14th level windows, then back down onto the street. A dark, flaming shadow began to form at the crosswalk   
  
"Very well, Jupiter." The figure closed the blinds. "I'll stop if you can tackle what I'm sending your way."   
"**Kunzi-**"   
  
The reply was cut off as the figure closed the phone.   
  
----------------------   
  
Makoto looked at Ami with a stern face as she slowly closed the phone. Ami turned away from Makoto, her face red.   
  
"Well," Makoto held her wrist up. "What are we waiting for?"   
"I…."   
  
Ami reluctantly held her wrist up. The bands on each girl's wrist glittered.   
  
"Don't give up." Makoto smiled. "No matter what! Jupiter Power!"   
"…..Mercury Power!"   
"MAKE-UP!"   
  
Again, Ami was surrounded in the blue power of her mother planet, while the bright green lightning of Jupiter crackled around Makoto's body. The lights dissipated around the two girls after a moment, revealing Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter.   
  
"Come on!" Bringing up her tambourine, Jupiter threw the apartment door open. "Let's go an-"   
"_RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!_"   
  
Suddenly, Jupiter was violently thrown onto her couch with a shout, followed by a groan. Her soldier clothing were slightly burnt.   
  
"Mako-chan!!!! NO!!!!"   
  
Mercury suddenly found herself staring once more into the eyes of the fire youma. They flamed red, and hellish fire, as they stared into her, and the heat licked her body. The sweat appeared again upon her brow, and she shut her eyes tightly.   
  
"Mercury…….Aqua….."   
"**_Mercury….._**"   
  
Mercury's eyes bolted open at the sound of the voice. Her hands slowly went down as she looked at Foeniclise. The youma's flaming irises suddenly turned icy, blue and cold, like a mirror. Where there once was simply flame was now a reflection of the frightened Mercury, but it was darker than she really was. To add to Mercury's horror, the reflected Mercury suddenly gave an evil smile.   
  
"**_Fight all you like,_**" The reflection winked. "**_You can't hide from me…..you can never escape from me….._**"   
  
Mercury gave a loud gasp. Her hands were completely down, leaving her defenseless. Taking advantage, the youma leaped on her, throwing her to the ground. Mercury was down with a scream, her clothing scorched by the youma's hands.   
  
"_RAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!_" The youma hungrily lowered itself towards Mercury. "_Rar………..rrrrrr………._"   
  
Mercury closed her eyes tightly. Her body shuddered, silently cursing herself and her foolishness. She waited for the end, for her hands were pinned down, and she could not attack.   
  
"**……………….THUNDEEEEEER!!!!!!!!**"   
  
The thunder sparks instantly separated Mercury and the youma. Mercury gave a scream as she covered herself. Though she knew the attack was not intended for her, she was still slightly electrocuted. Nevertheless, she was relieved, and quickly got up.   
  
"_RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!!!!!!_"   
  
"COME ON!!" Standing in front of Mercury with a pose, Jupiter motioned to the youma. "Let's rumble, demon."   
  
The youma gave another wild roar, and again drew its wings out. In response, Jupiter held up her star tambourine towards her midsection and glared at the youma with a smirk.   
  
"M-mako-chan!!" A glow came from Mercury's hand, revealing Mercury's star tambourine. "Here! I'll lend you power."   
"No." Jupiter's blunt response stunned her. "Hurry. Get out before the youma pins you down again."   
"B-but Mako-chan!!"   
"The enemy's after you." Jupiter looked at Mercury tenderly. "You'll need to be prime and ready to fight, even if I nor the other soldiers cannot fight alongside you, against Kunzite. Who knows - this may be your test to awaken you."   
  
Mercury took several steps back, looking at Jupiter skeptically. With a smile, Jupiter responded by picking Mercury up by the waist and throwing her out the apartment door.   
  
"MAKO-CHAN!!!!!!!!!"   
  
Mercury landed hard on her side. She was disoriented for a fleeting moment; then she saw the light. The bright green light crackled, smashing into the fiery inferno of the youma. It then mingled, mixed, and then blasted out into the hall with one loud, deafening explosion, engulfing the entire floor in light.   
  
**BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!**   
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Mercury screamed. "MAKO-CHAAAAAAAAN!!!!"   
  
The light dissipated; with a scream, the youma disintegrated into ash. All that stood was Makoto, untransformed, writhing violently. The star tambourine fell from her hands.   
  
"M-mako-chan?!?!?"   
  
Just as Mercury began to run towards Makoto, a single black rose petal fluttered past her. Mercury's eyes widened as the area around Makoto darkened. She gave a scream.   
  
"No!!! NOOOOOO!!!!!!"   
  
Makoto looked at Ami, her eyes darkening as black rose petals began to surround her. Her lips quivered violently as she struggled to speak.   
  
"Run……h……..urr…..y……….."   
  
The area became black, inverting upon itself before blowing away harmlessly away. The black mist then fluttered, with several remaining petals, through the window. With a loud, angry scream, Mercury lost it. She threw herself to the ground like a little child, pounding her fists to the ground.   
  
"**NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**" She jumped up, punching the wall as hard as she could. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! NonononononononoNO NonononononoNO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"   
  
The phone suddenly rang. Its ring incensed Mercury even more, for it meant only one thing. As violently as she ever did anything, she literally threw her phone open.   
  
"You MONSTER!!!!!!!!!"   
  
Hot tears began to stream down the soldier's face as the laughter began on the other side of the line. Mercury's free hand went into a tightly clenched fist.   
  
"**Hello, Mercury.**" The voice kept laughing. "**You seem upset over something.**"   
"You…..horrible fiend!" Mercury cried. "I'll never forgive you for this!"   
"**I didn't expect you to.**" The voice became slightly somber. "**This is war, after all. Casualties, innocent or not, are expected in battle.**"   
"Unacceptable! Bring my friends back to me!" Mercury angrily shouted. "This is between you and me, Kunzite! Put my friends, and all of the students you kidnapped, back where they belong this _instant_!"   
"**I'm afraid I can't do that.**" The voice became angry. "**No. I will make you understand how deep the loss was to _me_. You will see the consequences of what you have done. By leaving the dark, you allowed……**"   
  
There was a sudden pause. Mercury looked at the cell phone with a shaky hand. Her mind began to numb at Kunzite's words, at what they could possibly mean. Another moment passed before the voice resumed.   
  
"**But….that is for you to know….later.**" The voice returned, though it seemed nervous about something, as if it has almost slipped about something. "**No, you will learn of it, inevitably. And you will come to Sakura Square, at six o'clock, as we agreed to earlier. Is that understood?**"   
"You…." Mercury looked up at the damaged ceiling. "You….were serious about that."   
"**You will come, and you will be as Mizuno Ami. You are to come alone; you are not to contact Venus, or any other sailor, or any one else in this. Is that perfectly clear?**"   
  
Mercury looked down. With her other hand, she slowly closed the cell phone.


	6. 4th Movement

**4th Movement **  
  
The power plant was well guarded, and well-kept, at a time like the one that gripped Juuban at the moment. To ensure that no one unauthorized was at the compound, several extra guards were being dispatched to the scene to ensure efficient security.   
  
"Well," one guard crossed his arms. "This has been a lovely day."   
"A bunch of kids, they were coming in earlier, they were trying to mess up our posts." Another guard shrugged. "Well, at least we're on the lookout for them. Kids can be pretty annoying."   
"Yeah."   
  
As the guards talked, neither of them noticed as a small, purple cat plush doll suddenly catapult over them. It bounced harmlessly through the door as another guard opened it, and cascaded down the darkened hallway of the power plant offices.   
  
_Well!_ The plush doll was dirtied from its superhuman leap. _That wasn't too difficult._   
  
A glow surrounded the cat, brightening and turning yellow. The glow became bigger and brighter, until it took the shape of a young girl. With a slight pose, Sailor Luna held her hand out, and her crescent moon wand appeared.   
  
"Now, here comes Detective Luna!" A twinkle came into her eyes. The wand shifted its shape into a flashlight. "Time to investigate this mystery."   
  
With that, she turned it on cautiously, making sure no one was around to catch her. Then, in the manner of her true species, she crawled on the floor, flashing it wherever she could.   
  
"Just…..be…..careful………""   
  
She was almost caught at that moment; a security guard peered inquisitively into the doorway she had sneaked into, having heard her flashlight click off at his approach. Fortunately, the guard simply shrugged it off as being his imagination and walked off, leaving Luna free from his suspicious eyes. Quickly, she tiptoed across the way and entered the stairway.   
  
_It's underground,_ Luna quietly descended. _So I've got some flights to go._   
  
At the bottom of the stairs, much to Luna's chagrin, were three guards patrolling the double door entry to the main transformer, talking and laughing. Luna quickly hid herself, and began to create a new strategy to get inside. With a quick movement, the crescent wand returned to its original form.   
  
_Hmm…._ Luna scratched her chin. _I need to get them out of the way to see exactly what's going on…_   
  
"Well," she heard one of the guards say. "I don't know. It's only just a matter of time before the electricians _can_ fix this thing."   
"I know." One of the other guards sounded confused. "But it's just so _odd_. How could this have happened to the transformer?"   
"Just an odd phenom." The last guard shrugged. "Maybe everyone used their air conditioners too much."   
  
At this, the guards laughed nervously. Luna looked over her shoulder, then back at the guards, and gave a nod. She took her wand, and with a poof, it transformed into a large, silver and blue gun.   
  
"All right, everyone!!!!"   
  
A quick as a cat, she jumped down to the bottom of the stairs, facing the startled guards and keeping to the shadows. As quick as she could, she cocked the gun up and pulled the trigger.   
  
"CHILL!!!"   
  
The guards were turned to blocks of ice before they could pull their weapons out of their holsters. All of them had shocked looks of fear on their faces for having failed their duties.   
  
"Heehee!!" Luna giggled and pinched the cheek of the guard she regarded as the cutest. "Don't worry, sweetie. It'll wear off in a half-hour, which gives me plenty of time to investigate what I need to investigate."   
  
With a giggle, she threw open the doors, and immediately gave a shudder. A cold, icy wind met her as she walked into the room.   
  
"My……goodness….."   
  
Luna's eyes widened at the sight. The entire room, including the transformer, was completely iced over. Long stalagmites, some almost ten feet long, hung from the ceiling, and the floor was slippery and shiny in the wake of Luna's flashlight. Thick clouds hung over the room, to the point where it actually snowed in one of the room's furthest corners.   
  
"What in the…..?!?!?"   
  
Luna slid over to the transformer control panels. She gave it the once over and frowned.   
  
_The entire panel is iced up._ Luna tried to wipe off some of the icy slag off of the switches with no avail. _It's as if…..if….._   
  
Luna's ears came up. Her body tensed up as the door opened behind her. She could feel the slight warm breeze as the new intruder began to walk towards her. She turned around as quickly as she could, flashing the light upon the intruder.   
  
"HAAH……Huh?"   
  
The light startled the intruder, who took several steps back and took out some kind of a weapon in the dark. Even in the dark, however, the cat soldier could recognize the ruby-studded chain as it was extended across the intruder's armspan.   
  
"Sailor V-Venus! Oh dear…."   
  
Luna shivered as Venus approached her. There was a strange sense of caution in Venus' step as she lowered the chain, though Luna simply smiled at her.   
  
"Sailor Luna."   
"You know about this, too." Luna nodded. "This freezing of the energy cells is definitely enemy sabotage!"   
"….Where is everyone else?"   
"Huh?" Luna looked confused. "Oh. I can't get a hold of them. It's odd."   
"So you don't know where any of the soldiers are."   
"No. Not one of them…" Luna trailed off. "Oh no….you don't think…"   
  
Venus closed her eyes for a moment. Luna looked around warily, thinking of the possibilities, just as something on the wall caught her eye.   
  
"Ah…..aaaaah!"   
  
Shining the flashlight on it, she immediately pounced on the object, ripping it off of the wall. It was a piece of paper, plastered to the wall by the ice buildup. On it was writing, black as ebony.   
  
"A note." Luna read. "'To the sailor soldiers in here'!"   
"Read it."   
"'Your sleuthing is to be commended on for figuring out that….I caused the black-out!'" Luna quickly nodded in satisfaction. "'However, in that I have cut you off from the rest of your fellow sailors, and so any you have not yet encountered here in the plant has been……captured….?!'"   
  
Luna's eyes widened. She looked up, her mouth open.   
  
"'C-come to Sakura Square, and be there promptly at six-thirty tonight……'" she whispered. "'…if you ever want to see them again!'…..It isn't signed….."   
"Sakura Square's up in Yokohama." Venus grit her teeth. "And its already four thirty now….unless we can avoid the downtown traffic and congestions of people of the rush hour, we'll never make it there from here.'"   
"There has to be a way…."   
  
Luna thought for a moment. She looked at her wand, then back at the letter, before looking at Venus.   
  
"I think I know of a way…"   
  
----------------------   
  
The intersection seemed to sway back and forth around Ami as she staggered onto the street. Her head hurt profusely from the heat, and from the fighting, and from everything that was happening.   
  
_Usagi-chan__…. __  
  
"Let's be friends, Ami-chan!"   
  
Rei-chan…..   
  
"Don't worry, Ami-chan."   
  
Mako-chan…..   
  
"Let's do this, Ami-chan!"   
  
All of you….._   
  
Ami's tear-filled eyes caught the bus at the last minute. With a gasp, she ran as fast as she could to the bus stop, flagging down the white bus just before it pulled out.   
  
"Wait! WAIT!!!"   
  
Her plan formed in her mind quickly. She knew the bus could get her to the subway; if she made it, she could get on the line to Yokohama and get to Sakura Square easily before the deadline.   
  
"Hmph." The driver looked at Ami with some disdain as she put her money into the bus stand. "You could be earlier next time. I'm already late."   
  
Timidly, Ami took her seat near the front, near a window, and right next to the only other empty seat on the bus. All around her were screaming children and businessmen looking almost with disgust at their surroundings.   
  
"Mommy!" One young girl whined. "I want to go to the movies!"   
"We'll be there, dearest!" The mother looked exhausted. "We'll get there… don't worry. Damn this power outage…"   
  
_Damn the power outage?_ Ami looked down. _Damn _me_. It was all me. This outage, this problem…..my friends…._   
  
The scenery whizzed by her as her mind began to turn itself back to other times. These were not times of happiness, as she had tried to make herself remember these past couple of days. They were the bad times, of the moments where she was not so fond of her friends, though one could say it was not of her choice to embrace the darkness that had consumed her for so brief a time. It was the time when she had been Mercury's dark soldier of evil, Sailor Darkury.   
  
--------------------------   
  
_"Mercury." __  
  
Her head came up. Her dark brown eyes, filled with the darkness of an ancient entity that few were even aware of. She turned around, eyeing the speaker warily.   
  
"Kunzite."   
"Quite a show you gave the queen in her throne room." The older man, dressed in a purple suit with a red cape, smirked. "She seemed taken aback. She may perceive you as a threat now."   
"I am not afraid of her." She spoke with a low voice. "She is simply a figurehead in the operation."   
"But certainly, you have nothing to fear for your assertiveness." The smirk did not disappear. "You are, after all, under the protection of a higher power."   
"I spoke to her in that way because what I spoke is the truth."   
  
Darkury looked down onto the cavern below the alcove that she and Kunzite stood upon. In front of them was a long, black room, with an iron-filled ceiling which was seventy feet high. In it was a large black mass, which glowed a dark purple in the middle of the room.   
  
"Is that so?"   
"I don't like being bossed." Darkury turned back to Kunzite with a cold glare. "You have your ways of operating, and I have mine."   
"But you have only just been reborn." Kunzite pursed his lips as he studied the blue-clad soldier. "You will need my guidance if you will want to control your new powers to complete your mission properly. I am your only ally right now, but also, I am your mentor."   
"The fact that I have been reborn should not deter you from addressing me as an equal of yours, Kunzite." Darkury's cold glare did not lessen. "I have no need for a mentor in my new state. And I need no training in my new powers to complete my mission. I will do my job alone, and I hope that you have no plans of interfering."   
"And if I interfere?"   
  
The glare from Darkury deepened. Though Kunzite seemed to show no fear from Darkury's words and angry expressions, there seemed to be a spark of something within him which indicated that, perhaps, this was not quite what he had expected from his experiment.   
  
"Hmph." He simply smirked. "Well, you're fiestier now than I suspected you would be."   
  
With that, Kunzite left, leaving Darkury alone with Metaria. She gave the towering energy a gaze before slowly walking out of the room._   
  
---------------------   
  
_I wonder…._ Ami gazed out of the window. _Was….was Kunzite smitten with me? Is that why he is after me now? For vengeance…….and to have his way with me now….._   
  
Ami gave a shudder at that thought. Meanwhile, the bus had let off several people off a busy corner, and was letting on several others. Next to Ami were several schoolchildren now, giggling to themselves about new rumors of people around them.   
  
-----------------------   
  
_"Well, well….. __  
  
Darkury's head came up at the sound of the voice. She was alone, in her bedroom, when the figure appeared at her door. She had been in her bed, a soft mattress that was made of air. Her bedpost was pure ebony and sapphire; her dressers were likewise, and she had a diamond mirror.   
  
"You look comfortable here."   
"Jadeite." Darkury sat up. "What are you doing?"   
"Checking up on you." The blonde general smiled. "I hope you don't mind, sailor."   
  
Darkury, in response, gave the general a glare. She had been in a peaceful rest, recharging her precious strength, when the riffraff had entered her room. His manner, it appeared, was indicative of his intention; he was not to leave soon enough.   
  
"If you take me as a fool," the blue-haired girl scowled, "You may as well tell me about Susanowo's next coming and expect me to believe it, Jadeite."   
"….Then I do." Jadeite smiled nervously. "Actually, I was pondering about you, so I came here to check on you myself."   
"For that queen of yours?"   
"She's your queen as well, sailor." Jadeite replied curtly. "You may as well get used to it and forget whatever hogwash Kunzite's been telling you lately. You serve _her. Not_ Kunzite." __  
  
There was a long silence at this. The two glared at each other, like lions ready to pounce on each other. Slowly, as they glared, Jadeite began inching towards the bed.   
  
"Speaking of Kunzite…." Finally, Jadeite broke the quiet with a smirk. "Your relationship with him has caused the queen to question your motives, dear."   
"I'm not your 'dear'." Darkury's glare deepened. "And what 'relationship' has your queen conjectured up in her mind regarding Kunzite and myself?"   
"Again, you forget she is your superior regardless of your bold words." Jadeite felt his face redden. "But anyways, the queen inquired because you seem more inclined to follow Kunzite's word over hers. I can't say I disagree with her assessment; it certainly _looks_ it." __  
"It was under his stead I came to your side Jadeite." Darkury looked at the general with a wary cynicism. "It is only in appreciation of that, that I even listen to him. You make it sound like something else."   
"You follow his orders, you go to his chambers….you sleep in his beds." Jadeite leaned in for the kill. "Maybe because it….is…..something else?"   
  
Darkury, in her hatred, had not even noticed that Jadeite had come onto her bed and was leaning in to her cheek. It wasn't until he was mere millimeters from her cheek, and his warm breath had touched her iced cheek, that she suddenly realized. With an angry scream, Darkury's fist connected with Jadeite's jaw, forcing him to the floor with a crash.   
  
"GUAH!"   
  
Jadeite wiped the blood from his mouth, cursing Darkury under his breath. As soon as he looked up, the icy blade of the blue-haired girl's sword was at his neck, almost to the point of drawing blood.   
  
"You thought yourself clever." Darkury's eyes were almost red with rage. "Maybe you'll learn better for the next time you try to come in here. Not that there'll be a next time, if you're as smart as you like to think you are. Otherwise," Mercury slowly took the blade away. "Maybe that queen of yours might have something to do with you after I tell her of this. Do we have an understanding of each other?"   
  
With fear and anger flashing in his eyes, Jadeite quickly scrambled up to his feet. With a look of hatred, he backed away.   
  
"I understand." Jadeite almost ran out of the room. "Don't worry. I'll let Kunzite deal with you alone!"_   
  
------------------------   
  
_It was so easy to be angry in that place…._   
  
Ami sighed as the bus stopped at the subway station. As quick as she could, she excused herself from the disapproving eye of the driver and started down the stairs to the tracks.   
  
_Track 7…._ Quickly, Ami paid th3e subway toll and went through the entrance. _Track 7….I hope I'm not late…_   
  
Her wandering mind almost allowed her to miss it; she was concentrating more on the past and not on the task at hand. Fortunately, the subway stuffers caught her eye, and she managed to quickly get herself into the train bound for the Yokohama stations. Her car was very crowded, and Ami had to hold her nose to keep the stench of body odor from making her sick.   
  
_It was so quiet there…._ Stuck in between an older man and his wife and the door, Ami could only press herself against the window as the subway train began to roar out of the station.. _So quiet, with only a few people around.__ In the darkness, where my evil spirit festered and grew stronger by the minute, out of reach from my friends and family…._   
  
-----------------------   
  
_"YAH!" __  
  
Darkury took out her ice sword. In the dim light of the room, it gleamed eerie shades of blue and purple as she raised it into the air, examining the blade before she thrust forth.   
  
"HaaaAAAAH!!!!"   
  
She gave a complete turn, dodging the weapon as it swung at her. She then took a back flip as the giant armed figure swung at her once more. She landed on her feet, though it was a shaky planting of feet.   
  
"Ugh!"   
"**Foolish child.**" The figure's eyes flashed a hideous green. "**You are fighting the Bane of the Tartarian Plunge. No mortal shall fight me and live.**"   
  
Darkury raised herself as straight as she could, her eyes wide with anger. She gave a snort at the figure, though his presence unnerved her. He stood almost seven feet tall, and bore a iron maceball with a dangling steel chain which measured five feet. His armor was wull body, and his very face was welded with the metal helmet her had upon his head.   
  
"I do not fear you." Darkury's brow was covered with sweat as she posed again. "I fear no one!"   
"**Then surely,**" The chain came up. "**You will not mind meeting your death, mortal woman.**"   
  
Darkury gave a smirk as she held up her sword. She slowly approached the massive figure as it again swung at her with a deafening roar. This time, however, as the monster went to bring up his mace from the ground, Darkury rolled over and threw the sword into the side of the monster's left thigh.   
  
"**RAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**"   
  
As the Bane roared in pain, Darkury quickly took her sword out of his thigh. With perfect efficiency, she leaped up and jammed the blade into the monster's throat. In a crackle of purple light, the monster disintegrated as the blade came out of the other side of the monster's neck.   
  
"I hope," Darkury grinned evilly as the dust of the monster fell into a small pile in the ground, "that you did not mind meeting your own death at my hands, Bane."   
  
Victorious, Darkury took her sword up once more from the ruins. As she did, she felt a low breeze come across her back. She closed her eyes, absorbing the breeze and the direction of its origin. In an instant, she knew who it was.   
  
"Queen Metaria."   
"**Yesss****. It is I.**" A voice suddenly rasped behind her. "**Excellent work, Sailor Darkury.**** You show great promise to us, even in this infant stage that you are in, in defeating such a strong servant of mine."   
"Thank you, my queen."**   
  
Darkury gave a smirk at this as she turned and bowed. Of all the people and things she surrounded herself with in the Dark Kingdom, Darkury cared only for two people. The two people were herself, naturally, and her queen, Metaria, whose omnipotent spirit was harbored in that very room..   
  
"Your kind words inspire me as no others do," Darkury's smirk darkened. "So that I may exterminate my greatest enemies."   
"**Is this so, my young sister?[u]" A chuckle came from the dark purple spirit. "[u]Yes, but the man who brought you to me, the general Kunzite. You so easily cast him aside.**"   
"I do not care for his superior airs." Darkury's eye glistened. "He means to betray you, I think, when he has the chance. He has no love for Beryl as it is, and she is…." At this, she chuckled. "….Your most trusted servant, your Majesty."   
"**My graces only matter if success can back my trust, child.** The tower crackled with energy. "**Oooooh****, yesss…..those who can sustain me with the energy I need…..they earn my trust.**"   
  
Darkury gave a nod as she sheathed her sword. She closed her eyes, feeling the icy cold wind of energy of Metaria surround her. It gave her great pleasure to feel it; it strengthened her resolve to fight. In return, she felt as if she gave, with her newfound trust in the spirit, her own life force in return.   
  
"**Yesssss****, Darkury.**" The tower glowed brighter. "**Yesssss****.**** I understand your thoughts, young sister. The truth is, in your rebirth, you bound yourself to me. And so, we are one; you have given me a part of you. For as long as yourliving soul rests in your body, I shall always keep a piece of you within me, for in giving me a piece of you, I gave you a piece of myself.**"   
"Bound to you…."   
  
The idea was flattering to Darkury to be bound to Metaria. In part, it was because she knew only Metaria as her master. Yet, in some ways, Metaria, in giving Darkury a piece of her, and vice versa, was Darkury's equal, for no other spirit was as powerful at that moment as she was. Deep, deep down, she knew Kunzite was probably aware of it, but she did not care.   
  
_Let him think and do what he wishes._  
  
Darkury looked up at the ceiling as she turned from Metaria. Buried within the rock was the figure of an older woman, whose features were very similar to those of Ami's.   
  
_I would crush him, and anyone else, if it would please you, Metaria. For it would surely please me…   
  
--------------------   
  
_My mother was captured by Kunzite, and placed under a trance._ Ami stared out of the subway window as the darkness whizzed by. _When she woke up, she thought she had gone to Europe for a tour there. She thought….she was scouting out medical schools for me._   
  
Ami looked down. Inside her schoolbag, her cell phone peaked from one of the pockets. It beeped once or twice before stopping.   
  
_Oh….._ A realization came to Ami. _My mother…..she doesn't know where I am at all. She must be worried about me if the other kids have come home already because of the blackout. I haven't really been forthcoming with her at all lately...not with being who I am..._   
  
Her mind began to go off onto this tangent, as to how she could convince her mother where she was without raising her suspicions. Her mother was always protective of her, and was always looking out for her when she got into trouble, for it would reflect badly on the colleges she could get into.   
  
Her thoughts flashed with the possible excuses she could tell her mother; she had been with Rei at the temple, or was with Makoto and Usagi having dinner. However, upon further though, Ami pondered if her mother would question her impulsive need to go to Hikawa, as well as what was wrong with her mother's cooking if she had to always go to her friend's house for good food. And in both cases, her mother could have decided to call the friends to keep checking up on her. So engrossed in the debate on her mother she was that Ami almost forgot to get off at the correct station.   
  
"Oh-_ooooooh_!"   
  
--------------------------   
  
_"Hello?" __  
  
Slowly, Ami picked the telephone and placed it towards her ear. She had just put on a black turtleneck and a dark red beret on her head - she was about to go out with her newfound friends from school. Or so they all were made to think.   
  
"**H-hello?**" An older man came onto the phone. "**Is Dr. Mizuno there?**"   
"Dr…." For a moment, the darkness in Ami's mind made her forget who the caller was looking for. "Oh. My mother."   
"**Yes.**** Is she there?**"   
  
Ami frowned. She did not truly care that this man was looking for her mother; in fact, she didn't consider her mother to be related to her anymore. Her rebirth had allowed her to be free and forgetful of her former ties to a human life. Kunzite having her pretend to be a human for the sake of his plan infuriated her; she rather preferred to stay as Darkury, and to descend upon the human by the way of fear. Nevertheless, she did her best to pretend.   
  
"N-no." She forced a cheerful voice. "My mother's in Europe right now."   
"**Europe****? Europe….**" The voice pondered for a moment. "**Well, I…..Huh, she didn't tell me…..well, dear, do you have her hotel number or anything?**"   
  
This second question infuriated Ami even more. She hated when humans had to be so nosy and questioning. She really saw no reason to tell the man something false so that the cover could ultimately be blown, so she tried something else.   
  
"Huh? Her what?" She started to raise her voice. "I'm SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR you! This PHONE is….what're you SAYING??"   
"**Hello? Can you he-**"   
  
With a definitive slam, Ami left the conversation at that by hanging the phone up. She gave a harsh laugh as she tossed her hair.   
  
"Hmph." She went to get her jacket. "He fell for it. Where'd I put my jacket…"   
"Here."   
  
Ami froze as her jacket was suddenly draped onto her shoulders by two unseen hands. She stiffened as the hands slowly stroked her hair, bringing it out of the jacket and letting it fall down her back.   
  
"I do enjoy touching soft things. Feeling soft things in my hands." A tall figure bent his head down to Ami's ear and quietly spoke into it. "The way they play upon my fingers always sends a tingle down my spine."   
  
As quickly as she could, Ami sidestepped Kunzite. She gave him a cold look as she headed towards the couch, putting on her jacket as she did.   
  
"You put on a good show coming here, Kunzite."   
"It shines as well." Kunzite gave a smirk. "I must say, your hair is the brightest object to be found within the Dark Kingdom. It shimmers like a star, even in the dark."   
"What are you doing here?"   
"I thought it would be obvious." Kunzite gave a laugh. "We are mentor and student, after all."   
"We are nothing of the sort."   
"Then you would prefer to be partners?" Kunzite snorted. "You are presumptuous to think I would so easily relinquish my role as your master….and any other roles I may have with you."   
"I know," Ami glared, "that your behavior does not reflect your position, such as it is."   
"Even generals can have fun once in a while. You shouldn't deny me so much, Darkury."   
  
Ami's eyes slit at his words. Kunzite, on his side, was slowly surveying Ami from his position. She could almost see the hunger in his eyes as he finished his evaluation of her curves; it was as if he had a car that could handle them. Ami, on the other hand, had no such feeling towards him.   
  
"You have your fun your way, Kunzite." Ami walked towards the door. "I will complete my mission, in the meantime."   
  
She could feel Kunzite's somewhat perturbed stare on her as she left the apartment. But she did not care. For Kunzite was not the controller of her destiny. Darkury was the one controller of Darkury's destiny, and no one - not even Kunzite - could complain or rectify this one, simple fact._   
  
-------------------------   
  
_It must be Kunzite…….It must be….._   
  
Ami stood in the street, her head down, and the wind blowing in her hair. All around her, the cars drove past, and the people stared at her as they passed by. Above her was a sign: "YOKOHAMA".   
  
_Who else would have a reason……_   
  
Ami began to walk, her face staring expressionlessly into the distance. Two blocks down was a small sign that said "Sakura Square", a place in her past and to once again be of her present. In the distance, a light blue streak of sunset colors mingle with a dark purple, creating an eerie magenta cloud by the sun. She walked closer to her destination, feeling the air turn colder with each step, as if she was going closer to something that would freeze her blood and drop her dead on the floor.   
  
_Who else would have…..a reason…..to kill me?_   
  
Behind her, a church clock struck 5:45. Fifteen minutes left.


	7. Rocket Movement

**Rocket Movement**

There was a strange quiet on the streets of Yokohama that afternoon as the time began to slip by. No one could really understand why; for some reason, people in the city felt compelled to simply keep themselves resigned to their businesses and not to impede on others. It was almost like a calm before a great storm that was passing in, even though the time of high noon had already passed for battle. Or so some thought.   
  
**WHUPWHUPWHUPWHUPWHUPWHUPWHUPWHUP**   
  
Though most people paid no mind to the sound of the whirling rotors, those who did may have found a somewhat quizzical sight. It was a helicopter that shot across the sky above the buildings, but it was no ordinary one. It was tiny, bulb-shaped one, of a light, rosy pink hue, with white choppers. On the sides were small white wings (though these were only if the choppers stopped working), and white stripes on its sides. On the front was a crescent moon decal, and an English word in gold letters: "MOONIE".   
  
"Checking altitude!"   
"Check."   
"Chopper velocity!"   
"Check."   
  
At the helm of the helicopter was Sailor Luna, her steering appendage looking eerily similar to her crescent moon wand. She turned left, the chopper following along. In the only other seat was Venus, looking worriedly onto the buildings.   
  
"Let's go!" Luna turned several knobs. "To Sakura Square!"   
"……Luna…..I'm not liking what you're doing."   
"What?" Luna frowned. "Why?"   
"Luna, Sakura Square is too small, even for this chopper." Venus shook her head. "We should land someplace else."   
"The moonicopter can handle it," Luna retorted. "It was designed to land in tight places!"   
"But I'd rather land in a wide place and be absolutely safe," Venus growled, "then to risk crashing when there is another alternative."   
  
The two glared at one another as the chopper the moonicopter - hovered in the air. They both stared at one another, waiting for the other to crack.   
  
"O…..ok!" With a grumble, Luna switched the gears. "_Ok!_ I give. We'll land on the building over there."   
  
The chopper spun around a full half-circle, eyeing a 20-story building in the vicinity. It circled around, looking for the landing pod.   
  
"But if we get in trouble, and we're late, it's your fault."   
  
The clock read 5:51.   
  
-----------------------   
  
Sakura Square was a former playground in Yokohama, a place where children used to come every afternoon to play after school. It was slowly abandoned, for a larger, more technologically safe playground. As a result, Sakura Square was transformed from a play place for children to a weathered, splintered ruin of its former glory.   
  
Ami was aware of this; she used to come to Sakura Square, among other places, all of the time as a child. Her mother used to work in a Yokohama hospital a block away, and so Ami and her nanny would come to the playground often to wait for her to come out. Sometimes, her mother would come with Ami, and she would push Ami on a swing, or the merry-go-round. Those were days before everything - before the divorce, the schooling, the awakening of Sailor Mercury.   
  
_I'm here……_ Ami's skin crawled as she entered into the courtyard of the park. _At last……here we go…….the end is here……_   
  
It seemed strange to Ami that her enemy knew of this place; the truth of it was, the significance of it did not even occur to her until she stepped onto the concrete sidewalk of the park. She had forgotten the goodness of her childhood; she realized that her enemy did not forget, though she was unsure of why of how he had acquired the information, as she never remembered telling him.   
  
_What time is it…….what time is it……._   
  
At 5:55, Ami came to an epiphany about the park, as the question of his knowledge of her began to dominate her mind. Kunzite had to have found out through some other means. Not through her, but through someone else. Yet Usagi, Makoto and Rei was never aware of Ami's childhood; they had never really talked about it.   
  
_……….How?………….._   
  
Then, it came to Ami. There was only one solution.   
  
_Kunzite…….may not be……..If it isn't……then…._   
  
Suddenly, one loud hammer strike jerked Ami out of her panicked thoughts. Her blood froze, and her body became cold with fear. The clock, like the first peal of thunder during the coming of Ragnarok, struck 6:00. Each peal made Ami shiver. The last peal was the loudest, and the hardest.   
  
_Where is he………?_   
  
A minute passed, and there was no reply. Finally, Ami decided to take a step, and she opened her mouth to speak.   
  
"I-i……" She stammered. "I'm here, Kunzite! I…..I come alone! Show yourself!!"   
  
She turned around at the sound of birds chirping wildly, her breath squeaking as she gasped. Her throat became tight as her back was turned, and she did not even notice who was behind her.   
  
"Ami-chan."   
  
Ami stopped. She heard the voice echo within her, repeating into infinity, yet at first she could not comprehend.   
  
The voice was not...._not_ Kunzite's.   
  
_………..What?_   
  
Ami's mind clicked. She turned around, her breath accelerated by her fear. Then, she saw.   
  
"Welcome, Ami-chan."   
  
It was her. It was _her_.   
  
Ami Mizuno was facing _Ami Mizuno._   
  
"Ami-chan."   
  
She stood there, no, she was walking towards her, her cold brown eyes looking through Ami as the wind swept through her black hair. The black wristband wrapped around her hand tucked neatly under her sleeve, and the black cloak, like the shrouding of the darkest night over the still land. Ami's eyes widened at the sight. For it had to be impossible for the same person to be standing in the same room.   
  
"So. You came." The newcomer's lips formed into a slight snarl as she took off the voice band from out of her mouth. On it was a voice simulator. "I didn't know you could be brave enough to. Yet you seem so surprised."   
"…..You……" Ami took a step back. "……Me…….?"   
  
She stared back, not answering for a moment, perhaps to Ami's chagrin. Then, Ami's snarl turned into a smile.   
  
"Ami-chan." The wind died down as Ami spoke. "Punctual. Always. And, as I ordered, you came alone. You follow orders easily. Such a mistake."   
"This….." Ami cried out. "This is…impossible!"   
"Nothing is impossible if there is a purpose." Ami's smile did not diminish. "The drive of life. If one wills it, the impossibility is possible. You never thought you'd see me again?"   
  
Ami was not looking at Ami. Instead, she kept looking at the dark wristband. It menaced her, even from afar. She nervously took a step back.   
  
"Go away."   
"I'm afraid I can't now." Ami's menacing smile made Ami feel even more frightened. "I'm here, I'm real. No longer apart of you, I am free."   
"But how?!" Ami's hand went into her pocket, searching for her cell phone. "How?"   
  
The response was a slight chuckle as Ami lifted up her arm. She pulled her sleeve down to show the black wristband in full. Its appearance had slightly changed; the transformation mechanism was in the shape of a cobra, with the Mercury sign upon it, and the band itself wrapped around her arm like a snake.   
  
"You didn't really think that throwing the transformer would rectify the power, did you?" The Mercury jewel glowed. "The power was still there. True darkness that for which I am avatar to, is much stronger than your attempts to rid the world -and yourself - of it. Yes, I admit I almost left." Ami put her wrist down. "My essence - your essence, the essence you left in the darkness - in that forest, it withered from your re-alliance with the princess. Once you left the forest, the pure Mercury - you, regained her power as a soldier for the earth. I was disconnected from you, and we became separate. But then, instead of dying, I thrived; in my world, by the dark waterfall, my essence began to recover."   
  
The jewel glowed brighter, and an illusion formed in front of Ami. The wristband, lying motionless in the dark forest, glowed, its aura becoming a bright purple. The aura took form, growing larger until it was the form of Ami, crouching in the high grass, staring at the waterfall with her cold eyes.   
  
_"I call upon the queen." Ami slowly stood up, her hands outstretched, the wristband in hand. In front of her, the scenery changed, and the awesome form of Metaria appeared, its power spouting from the base. "Grant me power again so I may strike the enemy dead! Let me be a part of you once more!!"_   
  
Ami watched in horror as a bolt of energy struck the wristband, enveloping Ami within the energy. The image in front of her became bright pink before dissolving in the air.   
  
"The essence before, but now, I am real." Ami's wrist went down with another smile. "So tell me. Is it so impossible now?"   
"…..No…."   
"You were of the dark. Maybe you are not anymore but you _were_, and that is what matters. " The smile became malicious. "What you created cannot be reversed. You created me…..and now, you will have to live with it for however long you might live after tonight."   
"No…I don't believe you!" Ami turned away. Her head went down. "I'll never believe you."   
"Such a pity." Ami heard Ami come closer. "You choose to be oblivious than to accept the truth. Unfortunate. But….understandable."   
  
Ami turned. Ami lunged. Ami managed to duck, rolling under, rolling backwards under Ami, getting away from her. The ice sword plunged into the ground.   
  
"Nuisance."   
  
Ami grasped the ice sword and began to pull it out. She turned towards Ami, who was still rolling, and smiled.   
  
"There's no escape." She looked over Ami's figure, with a slight mocking tone in her voice. "Running is futile. You can't escape what you've done."   
  
Ami gave a gasp as she stopped herself from rolling, looking at the grinning Ami as she started to release the sword from the sidewalk. She went to stand up.   
  
"HEY!"   
  
Suddenly, Ami was kicked in the back, the force sending her back down onto the ground. She rolled over twice, and when she stopped she was face to face with her new attacker. Her eyes widened.   
  
"What's wrong?" With an evil grin, Jupiter, clad in dark green soldier garb, crossed her arms. On her wrist was a dark wristband. "Running away again, coward? You look like you're seeing a ghost."   
  
With a gasped squeal, Ami stood up and turned to face Ami reproachfully. Instead, she faced another figure.   
  
"You look scared." Mars, also clad in a dark red sailor outfit, gave a smirk as she posed. "You should be, you know."   
"Yes."   
  
Ami froze at the sound of the next voice. Slowly, she turned around to see a black object pointed at her.   
  
"_Usagi-chan_…!!!!!"   
"Don't try to run." Sailor Moon retracted the crescent moon wand, which was no longer such, but was rather a black rod with a red orb at the top, covered in tentacle-like holders. She wore a midnight blue sailor suit with a black line. "You'll never escape us."   
  
With a smile, Sailor Moon raised her hand and connected with Ami's face with a hard slap. Ami was thrown to the ground by its force.   
  
"NO!!!!"   
"I was once the outcast Ami, the dark shadow cast upon the still waters of the sea as you looked down." Ami's eyes began to water as she heard the sound of the ice sword being freed from the ground. "Now, you are the outcast Ami, an imposter, a shadow of _me_. Jupiter, Mars, and moon, now Darkiter, Darkars, and Darkoon….soon, the soldiers shall all be agents of the Dark Kingdom, and the _ginzuishou_ shall belong to me."   
  
Ami looked up and saw the blade glint in the faded moonlight. She could see the shadows of Ami's face, and could see how red Ami's eyes looked in the darkness. She could also see the smile, red as blood.   
  
"Good bye, Ami-chan."   
  
Ami closed her eyes as she felt the wind from the blade come down. She tried to disconnect, tried to memorize, tried to recall the times before this moment, even before Dark Mercury came into existence - the good times. She and Usagi at school. Makoto, on the roof with her the first time they met. Rei at the temple with her. The four of them walking together, on the bridge, and at the New Year's party, and against Kunzite, and against even Zoicite and Nephrite.   
  
She braced herself for the blow.   
  
"Venus Love-Me Chain!"   
  
There was a shout, then a loud smacking sound, followed by the clamor of something falling on the ground. Ami opened her eyes again.   
  
"V-venus!"   
"This won't be forgiven."   
  
Venus stood on the other side of the street, her chain in hand. Next to her was Luna, her crescent moon wand pointing at Ami.   
  
"We decided to come a little earlier than your invitation said to." Venus looked at Ami, then back at Ami. "It looks like I was wrong about the dark warrior being gone. That was a mistake. A mistake we'll correct tonight, yes, Luna?"   
"That's right! Your dark powers will be destroyed here, witch!" Luna smirked. "In the name of the moon and small things, Sailor Luna!"   
  
Ami's smile was palpably unnerving to Ami, who slowly stood up. Immediately, Moon, Mars and Jupiter surrounded her menacingly.   
  
"You two." Ami's eye twitched. "Your notions of resistance are admirable and a small bit of a surprise, I will admit. Your timing, though, couldn't be more unfortunate."   
  
With that, Ami crossed her arms together. Her new wristband glowed as she brought her hands down.   
  
"Dark Power, Make-Up!"   
  
There was a flash of black and purple light that resonated from the wristband as Ami's form floated up and changed. Her clothing became darker and transformed into the garb of a sailor soldier, and her sword, lying on the ground, floated up to Ami's level. It elongated as it came closer, growing a foot longer.   
  
"Let us see what happens _now_."   
  
Darkury stood once more before the soldiers. This time, however, her eyes were red, and her periwinkle hair was streaked with dark purple and white strands. The youma sign replaced her intricate tiara, and this was also a dark purple. There was one more new accessory on Darkury; a small, circular purple jewel was fastened onto Darkury's collar, glowing brilliantly as it dangled from her neck.   
  
"Let's go." The sword smashed the ground. "Let us see if you can withstand true dark power."   
  
Venus held up her chain. She gave the Dark Mercury soldier a half smile before jumping over to the dark soldier.   
  
"YAH!"   
  
The sword smashed against the chain with a loud clang. Darkury swung around and thrust again at Venus' midsection. This, too, with a kneel from Venus, was blocked by the chain.   
  
"Venus!" Ami struggled against her human barriers. "Wait! Let me-"   
"Shut up, faker."   
  
Ami suddenly shuddered as a jolt of electricity ran through her. She fell to her knees.   
  
"Mako-chan…."   
"I told you to shut up." There was a tone of mockery in the voice. In Darkiter's hand was some kind of electric prod. "Don't make me hurt you now, _'Ami-chan'_."   
  
Ami looked up at each of the weapons the girls possessed. Jupiter had a prod, and Darkoon her new wand; in Darkars' hands was a longbow made of fire.   
  
"I don't think we should wait for Mercury to finish." Darkars looked over at Darkury and Venus as they fought. "We should execute her right now."   
"No, I wanna watch the fun!" Darkoon pouted. "Besides, shouldn't we wait until Venus's assimilated before we kill this one? It would make everything so much easier."   
  
Meanwhile, Venus twirled around, dodging another of Darkury's blows. Spinning the chain around her body, Venus snapped forward and whipped Darkury's hand, causing her sword to fly off. In response, Darkury angrily kicked Venus in the stomach, throwing her hard into the nearest building.   
  
"Darkury's going to kick Venus' ass." Darkiter rolled her eyes. "So stop arguing over it, ok?"   
"Don't be too sure of it, you know."   
  
The three girls turned. Abruptly, Darkiter was smacked hard in the leg by a fan. She staggered back a step in shock.   
  
"You."   
"Hello, girls." Luna's fan turned back into a crescent wand. "Did you forget all about me?"   
  
Luna's inquiry was met with three gasps of surprise. The three girls quickly faced Luna, leaving Ami unguarded.   
  
"Ami-chan." Luna dropped to a fighter stance. "Get out of here and get someplace safe. I'll handle these three personally."   
"Luna!"   
"Go!"   
  
Ami looked nervously around her, first at Darkury and Venus, then at her three friends and Luna. With a cry, she scrambled to her feet and began to run as fast as she could away from them.   
  
"The faker!" Darkiter turned around. "She's getting away!"   
"No way, big girl!" Suddenly, Luna appeared in front of Darkiter and smacked her again with a fan. "Forget about her! I'm your opponent now!"   
"Big gi…." Darkiter turned red. "You little…!"   
  
Venus heard the shouts, and she turned to see what was happening. She saw Ami run off down the street, turning in an alley.   
  
"Mercury!" She shouted. "Mercury!!!"   
  
Venus paused. She felt the wind beat her brow and almost managed to dodge. But it was too late; Venus had erred in turning around.   
  
"NO!"   
  
Darkury smiled maliciously as her hand came forward at Venus. With a firm grasp she took up Venus' arm and closed her other hand around her wristband.   
  
"This ends now," dark energy began to sizzle from her hands. "'Princess'."   
  
Venus gave a scream as her arm began to glow a dark purple. Her wristband became dark as the purple aura began to completely consume her. As the energy engulfed Venus' body, her screams faded away.   
  
"………no……….."   
  
The aura around Venus disappeared, and she slowly stood up. She now wore a dark orange, almost brown, soldier suit. Her eyes briefly glistened dark purple as she looked straight into Darkury's eyes.   
  
"You're mine," Dark Mercury's smile did not waver. "Darkenus."   
"……Yes," Dark Venus replied slowly. Her eyes flashed red. "What do you want of me, Darkury?"   
"Help your friends."   
  
Darkury pointed towards the other three girls. They had all piled on Sailor Luna after the cat girl had missed a step, but with a mighty, inhuman heave, Luna had thrown all three of them off of her, scattering them all into different directions.   
  
"RAAAAAAAAH!" Luna breathed in heavily. "Soldiers, WAKE UP! You're under the spell of the enemy!"   
"Get rid of her." Darkury pointed towards the staggering soldier. "Get rid of her now. There'll be no interference with the plans."   
"What about you?"   
"I have business to attend to." Darkenus watched as Darkury picked her sword up. "Do it for the queen's sake. I'll be back in a moment."   
  
With that, a dark wind with black petals encased Darkury, and she was out of sight.   
  
---------------------   
  
_No…….._   
  
Everything whirled around Ami as she stumbled forward on the street. Everything in her head was flashing in front of her; her skull was pounding violently, everything was painful. It was impossible what she had beheld, for what had happened to be done. Yet it had happened.   
  
_No…..nonono……..nonononono……. __  
  
"There's no escape. Running is futile. You can't escape what you've done."   
  
I can't…….escape……_   
  
Everything was meshed within Ami's mind. The students. Usagi. Rei. Makoto. They were gone, gone and taken to the Dark Kingdom. And there was only one person to blame, one person whose past caused the destruction of everything she loved.   
  
**_IT'S ALL MY FAULT._**   
  
Ami stopped. She could no longer go on. She collapsed on the street, right next to a pile of garbage pails. She covered her face in her hands and began to violently sob. Her clothing was dirty, but she didn't care. She no longer cared anymore.   
  
_MY GOD.__ MY GOD._ She gasped for air, rasping as the tears came down. _IT'S ALL MY FAULT. THIS. IS. ALL. MY. FAULT._   
  
She held her head, and began to claw at herself in anger. The rage that had pent up inside her finally came out, and she knew no other way to release it. She could only kill herself, to throw herself off the side of a cliff, or off a building, if it meant Darkury could be gone, and the city could be saved. But she knew it wouldn't happen, and it hurt even more to know that one truth.   
  
_God………_ Ami's head screamed at her for her ineptness, for her failures. _God…._   
  
"Running away?"   
  
Suddenly, the loud sound of cracking cement came into her ears. Black petals flew around her, in front of her, as the ice sword appeared, lodged once more in the concrete.   
  
"Poor Ami-chan." Darkury smiled. "There's no one left to defend you now. Who will save you from yourself this time?"   
  
Ami scrambled to her feet. Her eyes were wide with fear as Darkury took her sword out of the ground and lunged once more at her. Paralyzed with fear, Ami, for one moment, could not move. For, indeed, she could not save herself. For it was her fault. It had all been her fault.   
  
_"Ami-chan, listen to me."_   
  
The sword came closer to Ami's sweat-caked brow. Ami's lip quivered as her end came to her, and she shut her eyes.   
  
_"Whatever _she_ did, _she_ is not _you_."_   
  
Ami opened her eyes. Darkury's eyes were as red as blood, and they thirsted for blood as well. Her blood. A spark came from within her on seeing those eyes, as Usagi's words came to her.   
  
_"Please, understand. What you may have done, it was forced on you."_   
  
Ami opened her mouth. The sound was there, the motive was there, but for one more second, there was no sound. The blade was almost at her throat.   
  
_"Those feelings, they weren't yours…" __  
  
Not……mine._   
  
"**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!**"   
  
Ami screamed, screamed as loud as she could, and she shut her eyes. With an inner strength, from the almost forgotten words of her dearest friend, her body moved, saving her from the blade. The sword, instead, connected with the brick wall, followed by the garbage.   
  
"ARRRRRGH!!!!"   
  
Darkury brought her sword up with a growl of anger. She pointed her sword at Ami again, who now faced her with a glare in her eyes.   
  
"Fool." Darkury posed spitefully. "You cannot escape your dark side, Ami-chan. I will make you suffer before I run your throat ragged."   
  
Ami's eyes slit determinedly. She held up her wrist, and her wristband glittered in the sunset.   
  
"No……you're wrong." The wristband began to glow. "I listened to you and let you trick me for too long. You are not a part of me; you were never as part of me!"   
  
Darkury's eyes widened slightly as Ami was engulfed in light blue light. This crack in her shell was only fleeting; she took astep back and gave an angry glare, ready to strike when the transformation ritual was finished.   
  
"I won't be fooled anymore! Mercury Power, Make-Up!"   
  
The light flashed brilliantly around Ami as her clothing changed and became colored with the hues of Mercury's planetary colors. The light finally dissipated, leaving Sailor Mercury in front of Darkury.   
  
"I…..will crush you!" Mercury jumped back and pointed at the dark soldier. "In the name of Mercury, and for all of my friends, I won't let you get away with this!"   
  
Darkury grinned as she held her sword up towards the sky. Then, with a quick movement, she brought it down again.   
  
"HAAAAAAAAAH!!!!"   
  
The concrete under the sword shattered upon contact. As the rock strewn itself everywhere, it froze into large pellets of hail, which promptly went towards Mercury.   
  
"Mercury…..Aqua Mist!!"   
  
The bright blast of water did its work quickly; most of the hail and rock disintegrated as the water touched it. The power did not, on the other hand, destroy the largest, sharpest pieces. With a shout, and wide eyes, Mercury threw her arms up to protect her face.   
  
"Aaaaaaah!"   
  
She stumbled backwards as the razor-sharp shards sliced through her gloves and elbows. She was on the ground, missing the rest of the attack, but it was too late. The damage was done, and her arms were bleeding.   
  
"Ugh….."   
"As I expected."   
  
Mercury meekly looked up as Darkury came up to her. Her grin was one of victory, one full of smug assurance, and with mockery towards the weaker opponent.   
  
"What a pity, Ami-chan." She raised her sword up. "And I was expecting a fight."   
  
Mercury's eyes teared up. Silently, she cursed herself for her weakness, for her incompetence against herself, or what was once a part of her. It was no dream; she was about to die.   
  
"**KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!**"   
  
Mercury's eyes bolted open at the sound. She was just in time to see a large, blurry figure crash unceremoniously into Darkury. Darkury gave a scream and shut her eyes in preparation as she fell on her back and tumbled three times onto the road. Her sword, meanwhile, flew out of her hands.   
  
"God dammit….!"   
"_Hola__, mi pucelle_!" Two large purple cat ears filled Darkury's line of vision. "Did you miss me, _paybeva_?"   
"_Luna_….!"   
  
Mercury looked on for a moment as Darkury's face became horrified at the sight of the cat girl soldier. She watched as Darkury struggled to get her sword with no success, for Sailor Luna was pinning her down. Then, an oncoming bus on the other side of the road caught her eye.   
  
"You….." Darkury growled. "Little…….brat…..!!!!!"   
"Hmm…" Luna grinned. "The sailor soldiers were a task under your spell, but I took care of them. And now, I'll be taking _this_, thank you very much!"   
  
With a quick, cat-like movement, Luna grabbed for Darkury's neck. Before the dark soldier could defend herself, her collar was gone off her person, flung almost carelessly at the brick wall behind them. The small purple gem, upon hitting the brick, shattered into thousands of tiny pieces.   
  
"_Yes!!!!!!_"   
  
Luna turned and watched gleefully as a black mist arose from the remains of the neck collar. It lingered for a moment, the screams of a thousand scared children echoing through the power of the darkness. Then, with a breath of wind, the energy dissipated, free from captivity.   
  
"All right!" Luna cried happily. "I was right! So that's where the stu-"**_KA-_**

**_POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW_****__**

The next thing Luna knew, she was in the air, and a large bruise was forming on her cheek. As her back connected with the wall, she saw Darkury on her knees, through her disorientation, her sword back in her hand, raising her weapon in the air.   
  
"……DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"   
  
Sailor Luna gave a scream as the sword came down to the ground. The hail flew at her, and in her brief confusion, Luna was unable to defend herself from the attack. Every single piece tore through her body, leaving her body a crumpled mess of cuts and bruises as she fell to the ground unconscious.   
  
"Fool….."   
  
Darkury snarled as Luna's body glowed a brilliant gold and began to shrink into the small form of a cat plush doll. Her face became contorted, resembling the faces of demon masks that would have appeared in the nightmares of Hokusai. Her teeth seemed to become longer, and her eyes reptilian, as she raised her sword again.   
  
"Go to hell."   
  
The beeping of a bus horn interrupted her thoughts. Her head swerved around in time to see a bus disappear into the horizon of Yokohama. In the back, as small as a dot, was a blue-haired citizen of Tokyo.   
  
"…….Oh."   
  
Darkury gave one more angry glare at the unconscious Luna as she brought her sword to her side. Darkury's hate was such that she could have killed Luna, and all the other soldiers if she wanted, with no second thoughts, even if they were her servants. However, there was one more person she hated, more than anything. She hated being abandoned for no real reason, and hated having things decided for her, and to be thwarted as well was detestable. Mercury had violated all of this and more.   
  
"I'll deal with you later."   
  
Dark petals flew around Darkury as she set her slit eyes on the tiny bus. Then, with a gust of black wind, the soldier was gone.


	8. Final Movement

**Final Movement**  
  
The battle was reaching its zenith. It had been a long battle, a long day, in which sides were chosen, sides were forced upon innocents, and ultimately, one side would come out victorious. Now, even now, there were doubts. For most of the soldiers, most of the players, were down.  
  
Darkiter, Darkoon, Darkars and Darkenus, servants of Metaria, lay in Sakura Square, unconscious and unaware of what was happening. Their last memory was a flash of purple light, the sight of a moon sign…..and nothing else. They were beaten, and beaten good, by Sailor Luna.  
  
Sailor Luna, on her part, was also on the ground, also unconscious. Her battle for the side of right ended as all the others had - at the hands of Sailor Darkury. Sailor Luna was strong, strong enough to defeat four other sailor soldiers simultaneously. Darkury, however, caught her in a moment of weakness and distraction, and she fell as well, reverting back to her plush cat form upon her defeat.  
  
Sailor Luna's battle with the dark soldier had not been completely fruitless, for the darkness inside the tainted soldiers, though not visibly so, was lifted from the souls of her companions. Also, with the shattering of the orb, the students of Juuban Junior High, succumbed to slumber through the power of darkness, were at their desks, slowly waking from their sleep.  
  
"H-huh?" One student, half-awake, looked out the window. "Oh, I…..did I nap?"  
"What the…..the sun's setting!"  
"We fell asleep? Weird…"  
"The lights aren't coming on!"  
"It's soooo hot…"  
"I need to go to the bathroom."  
"….Huh?"  
  
Naru looked up, and around, as she got up off the school hall floor. She confusedly looked around as the students quickly excused themselves from their classes, for it was 6:40 at night.  
  
"U…..usagi-chan?"  
  
Naru looked all over for Usagi, but found nothing save her schoolbag. She was confused, for she did not recall Usagi leaving the school, or the classroom for that matter during the blackout. However, when she still could not find Usagi, she gave up and decided to go home.  
  
"Hmm…" Naru eventually hooked up with Komoko. "I wonder where Usagi went. She left her bag here."  
  
And so, everyone went home. No one knew what had happened; no one knew that the battle which had been waged to save them was still going on. There had been several players, and several battles waged, events concerning friends that had spanned for several months without their knowledge.  
  
This time, however, only two fighters were left to battle each other. And there was no doubt that there would be only one left standing in the end.  
  
--------------------------  
  
_Hurry….._  
  
People were staring at her quizzically as sat on the bus, looking nervously over her shoulder. Mercury tried to ignore the stares she received, and the confused lip service she was being given.  
  
"Look, mommy!" a little girl gasped. "A lady with _blue hair_!"  
"Pay no mind." The mother brought the girl's face away. "It's one of those 'stylish' teens trying to catch your attention. Such a perverted dress, too!"  
  
Mercury looked nervously out the back; then, on a whim, she leaped up and pulled down the stop lever. The bus lurched to a stop at the corner, almost causing Mercury to fall on her face as she walked forward.  
  
"Hey!" The bus driver glared at Mercury as she jumped off. "Next time, request the stop _before_ you get to it, huh?!"  
  
Mercury ignored the bus driver completely as she ran off. Her eye had caught the subway line at the last second; it had not been the one that she had gotten onto before. However, it still led into Juuban, and got off a block away from where she wanted to go.  
  
_Come on……come on…..!_  
  
"Ami-chan!"  
  
Mercury did not stop at the sound of the voice, even as it echoed into the subway chamber. All she could do was run, to keep running, to make the train on time and hope that _she_ did not catch up…..  
  
"Coward!!"  
  
Darkury was on the prowl. She could hear Mercury's shoes clacking on the tiled floor of the station, through the roar of people who were coming in and out. She took out her ice sword and charged through the crowd, bringing the blade in front of her.  
  
"AAAAAH!!!!"  
"She's got a weapon!"  
"Call security! It's a maniac come loose!"  
  
Darkury did not hear the pitiful screams of the people she mowed down. She only saw one person in her sight. And Mercury was running down to the lower depot level, having thrown her ticket fare at the counter. The pray was getting away.  
  
"FREEZE!"  
  
Darkury gave a growl. There was a gun pressed to head, and the smell of cheap cologne was on her oppressor's clothing. Promptly, Darkury threw her sword down.  
  
"That's good." The subway security officer took a step back, his gun still fixed on the weapon-wielder. "Now, turn around, and put your hands up. Come on!"  
  
Slowly, carefully, Darkury turned around, bringing her hands up. Her eyes were half-shut as she turned, but as soon as she was facing the officer, she slowly opened them, showing her bright red eyes, batting her long shiny eyelashes at him. Kunzite's unwanted infatuation of her, and what Darkury figured had turned him on to her, were at play with the officer now.  
  
"Oh…..I……"  
  
The effect was devastating. The officer could not stop staring at Darkury's alabaster face, her youthful cheeks still with a hint of baby fat, her shadowed eyes, her pale lips, her rosy pupils. Her legs, and her clothing, a dark blue, and her butteryfly bow. Her long arm, clothed in pure white gloves, reaching out, perhaps towards his face.  
  
"Ah….AAAH!!!!"  
  
Darkury's hands grabbed the officer's hand with a strong grip. The officer gave a loud scream as the dark energy coursed through him, and for a moment, he glowed bright purple.  
  
"AUUUUUUGH!!!!!"  
"Hmph."  
  
Darkury promptly let go of his wrist, and the offivcer stopped his screams. Instead, he looked at Darkury, his eyes dulled with the essence of darkness. He slowly put his gun away.  
  
"Good." Darkury gave a grin. "Now, get my sword."  
  
Without a word of complaint, the officer walked over to the sword, picked it up, and with a bow returned it to its rightful owner. With no hint of thanks, Darkury took the sword back from him, thought for a moment, then returned it back to him. Several people began to take notice at the strange scene and began to look.  
  
"An officer of the dark now." Darkury looked around at the people who were starting to stare. "Keep this for the moment. Handcuff me before the humans' suspicions arise too greatly."  
"Yes, mistress."  
  
With a cool look towards everyone, Darkury brought her hands up. The cuffs slapped onto them, and the officer tightened them to fit her wrists. They were not too tight, however; the officer had no wish to truly hurt his new master.  
  
"Lead me out."  
  
She had not made the subway - she could hear it leave the station - but Darkury had other ways of getting what she wanted. She would never be out of options so long as there was an enemy to destroy. She could not teleport out in front of so many people, but she could get others to do her bidding. True, her hold over the soldiers had been broken and her target also escaped, yes, but it was only a small setback to her.  
  
"When we get to the parking lot," Darkury looked at her charge, "we will be leaving."  
"Where to, mistress?"  
  
Darkury looked up at the sky. The sun was no longer in the sky; the only remnants of its reign in the sky were pale oranges and purples, which were fading fast into hues of dark midnight blue.  
  
"Juuban. And hurry."  
  
-----------------------  
  
_Gone….._  
  
Mercury took in several deep breaths as she slumped into the grimy subway seat. She was fortunate to have been so lucky so far; Darkury did not seem to be on the train with her. This was a mere small comfort to her.  
  
_She'll never stop…._ She looked down at her cut-up arms. _She will never stop hunting for me….not until…..not until I'm…._  
  
She couldn't bring herself to think of the word. She didn't want to think of it, to confront the reality of her own impending doom. Alas, she realized that she could not think of anything else, and what was worse, she was exhausted.  
  
_Usagi-chan__…._ She put her head in her hands. _Rei-chan__…..Mako-chan….. __  
  
"Shut up, faker. Don't make me hurt you now."  
"We should execute her right now."  
"Don't try to run. You'll never escape us."  
  
What can I do?_ A sob came from her throat. _All I can do……is fight Darkury. But…..she's so strong….. __  
  
The sword came into contact with the concrete. The debris turned into hail, attacking Mercury.  
  
I…..I have to find a way to….to beat her!_ Mercury mussed her hair up in anxiety. _But how?__ What kind of weakness could I even look for?_  
  
Her mind went through everything she knew about Darkury. As the subway train rumbled on, the various thoughts and collected strings of information began to form together coherently, so that she could see them as clearly as if the words she thought were in front of her in reality. Alone once more, being allowed to collect her thoughts, she could think somewhat clearly.  
  
**_CHUGGACHUGGACHUGGACHUGGACHUGGA.-_**  
  
_Sailor Darkury._ Her mind named everything off to the rhythm of the chugging of the train. _Soldier of darkness, the dark side of Mercury.__ Physically equivalent to me. Emotionally opposite. Powers include amplified powers related to planet Mercury's water element. Weapons include long ice blade. Attacks seem to originate from sword, or…perhaps she channels her powers through it…._  
  
Slowly, a planj of attack began to form in Mercury's mind on a possible defense. She knew Darkury would certainly not give the sword up, and considering Darkury's power, the possibility of not being able to lodge the sword away from her would be a problem. Therefore, Mercury knew she could not simply rely on getting the sword away from her enemy; she would somehow have to bypass it.  
  
_I'll have to try to fight…..hand to hand….._  
  
After a pause, Mercury took out her star tambourine. She stared at the gold and pink weapon, fingering it thoughtfully.  
  
_My only true defense…_  
  
She looked out of the subway window and saw a light at the end. It was Juuban Station. All she could really hope for at the moment was that she had gotten a good head start over Dakury.  
  
-------------------  
  
"Turn here."  
  
The security car swerved onto a side street at Darkury's word. The soldier sat in the front passenger's seat, her face set with grim impatience. She was not one to endlessly berate her servants for failure and incompetence, especially when the servant was doing his best to fight Tokyo street fairways and the laws of rush hour traffic. She still wished he would hurry up, regardless.  
  
"Are you sure she's going there…"  
"I know it for a fact." The set face let forth a malevolent smirk. "She has nowhere else to go."  
  
The car zipped down the street, coming to a halt at a dead end. The two quickly got out, looking across the street with set eyes. In front of them, the Crown Karaoke sign flashed red and green in the night, for it had a back-up generator.  
  
-----------------------  
  
_I'm here…._  
  
Mercury looked around the karaoke lounge area nervously. There were people who were looking at her as they talked and sang in the booths; she knew better than to simply untransform in public, especially at a time where throngs of people flocked to places with electricity. She only hoped she wasn't caught by one person in particular and kicked out; she had nowhere else to really make a stand but down underneath this place, in the command center.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Mercury's head spun around. There he was, wearing Makoto's green wool muffler around his neck as he walked towards her, a frown of disapproval on his face. What was worse for Mercury was that she did not have her passport with her to gain official access into the building. She shut her eyes, waiting for him to kick him out.  
  
"Hmph!" To Mercury's surprise, Motoki simply walked past her. "Kid! _Kid!_ I'm sorry, but I'll have to ask you to put that down."  
  
The little boy inside one of the booths gave a screech, banging the microphone on the sides and causing feedback, as Motoki went to pick him up.  
  
"You shouldn't do that!" Motoki warily chastised the boy, who kept screaming in his face. "Where're your parents when I need them….what _is_ it with all these people tonight?!"  
  
Mercury seized the moment Motoki's back was turned to her to bolt away from a potentially hazardous situation. She carefully navigated the maze of machines, speakers, booths and singers, coming at last to the end of the corridor. She took a deep breath and slowly opened the hidden door.  
  
_Let me be first……let me be first….._  
  
She almost stumbled down the stairs in the dark, but grabbed herself before she could. Smartly, she reached for the lights, and switched them on. The command center lit up.  
  
_That way, I can see her shadow if she beats me here…. _  
  
Mercury had no doubt in her mind Darkury would eventually find her. Perhaps it was all good, and it was an advantage to fight on home turf; perhaps it was what Mercury wanted deep down, on instinct, to face off with what was once her dark side - a part of her, yet simultaneously apart from her. She dove behind the bookshelf and waited, the sweat pouring down her brow. On a second thought, she took out the heaviest book on the shelf, and cradled it under her arm, holding her tambourine close to her.  
  
_I got here first._ Mercury took in a deep breath. _Come on. Darkury. Come on-_  
  
"She's here."  
  
Mercury's breath was sucked in. The door opened, and the sound of two pairs of feet coming down the stairs froze her chest. Darkury was not alone.  
  
"She turned the lights on, if they were off." Darkury's voice turned towards her companion. "Regardless, Sailor Mercury is here. Find her now."  
"Yes, mistress." A male voice came into earshot as the door into the command center was shut. "Don't worry."  
  
Mercury cowered as close to the shadows as she could as she heard the thumping steps of the male coming towards the bookshelf. Then, she heard a metallic click.  
  
_Oh no…._ Mercury could barely suppress a gasp. _A gun.__ A policeman. She brought a policeman…._  
  
"Mercury!"  
  
The sweat balls on Mercury's brow became larger and more frequent as Darkury's voice rang out again. Mercury's eyes darted back and forth frantically, trying to keep the book from slipping out of her arm.  
  
"Ami-chan." She heard the gun load as the security officer clicked the barrel into place. "I'll be lenient this one time. You may have a choice for how you want your execution. Either you can surrender and have my friend let you go out easily….or you can resist and die painfully."  
  
Mercury closed her eyes and shuddered. She knew what she wanted her choice to be. She was not sure, however, if Darkury was really sincere enough to even let her choose her fate. Either way, she did not like it.  
  
"FREEZE!"  
  
Either way, she suddenly was left with no choice. The hormones of fear that raged within most normal people who were fighting for their lives finally arose within Mercury. She gave a scream, and with all of her strength, she threw the star tambourine down, took the heavy book in both her hands and swung it around as hard as she could.  
  
"AUGH!"  
  
The security officer staggered back. With another blow, Mercury slammed the book into the man's head. Whiplashed, the man fell to the floor unconscious.  
  
"There you are…."  
  
Mercury bolted at the sound of Darkury's voice. Her hand swiped the gun off of the still officer's body and held it as tightly as she could. With a grunt, she pointed the gun at Darkury, who stood three feet away from her.  
  
"….Are you so cold-hearted to shoot me _now_, Ami-chan?" Darkury threw her sword down with a mocking laugh. "You wouldn't dare. But I guess we both can think alike, can't we?"  
  
Darkury went forward, but Mercury found the safety. She took it off and, as fast as she could, pulled the trigger.

**BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!** Smoke came from the barrel as the recoil caused Mercury to fall down. She gave a cry, and the gun fumbled out of her hands. She barely missed hitting her head on the stage steps.  
  
"…GAAAAAH!"  
  
The next thing the slightly disoriented soldier knew, she was being roughly pulled up by her hair. The bullet had not missed Darkury, but it had not quite hit its mark. The bullet had whizzed through Darkury's left arm, meeting its final resting place in the wall behind them.  
  
……"  
  
Darkury's teeth clenched into the snarl of the youma as her injured arm took up the gun. She was in some pain as the dark blood oozed, but it had made her even angrier, and more dangerous.  
  
"You want to play this way?" Mercury's eyes bugged out as the dark soldier pressed the gun to her head. "Then let's _play_, right?"  
  
_Click. __  
  
Click. Click. Clickclickclick._  
  
Darkury gave a roar. The officer, for all his obedience to her and to her opponent's hateful luck, had only loaded one bullet in for the kill.  
  
"HAAAAH!!!!"  
  
In the moment, Mercury's first fist connected to Darkury's face; the other rapped its knuckles onto Darkury's hands, forcing her to drop the gun. The two separated and regrouped; Darkury went for Mercury's hair and neck; Mercury went down low and charged.  
  
_"You can't let them win, no matter what!"_  
  
Mercury gave Darkury a headbutt to the stomach, driving her to the wall and slamming her head into a framed picture. In response, Darkury grabbed a tuft of Mercury's dark neck hair and viciously ripped it out. As Mercury screamed, Darkury took her elbow and brought it down on Mercury's spine. Instantly, Mercury crumbled to the floor.  
  
_"Let's go and fight, Ami-chan!"_  
  
As Darkury's knee went to connect with Mercury's chin, Mercury recovered and rolled out of the way. She did a back flip, bringing her heel up into Darkury's jaw. Darkury's neck cracked, and dark blood mixed with saliva dripped onto the wall and down the evil girl's chin.  
  
_"Don't worry! You can do it…..I know you can."_  
  
Just as Mercury straightened herself up, Darkury's hands were on Mercury's face, and her nails began to sink into her cheeks. Mercury screamed as blood seeped from the clawing marks, as her enemy's fingers sunk deeper into her flesh. She kicked her, but it took several times for Darkury's pain tolerance to lapse, and then she finally released Mercury. Mercury turned and began for her star tambourine.  
  
_"Ami-chan-" _  
  
Mercury's thoughts were interrupted by another grab. Her head was suddenly slammed once, twice, three and four times, into the wall. Then, Darkury turned her around so she could see Darkury's face, the flashing red eyes, the bloody, toothy leer. Then, the back of her head was slammed several times into the wall.  
  
"This……serves…….you……_right_!!!!!!!!"  
  
Mercury fell to the ground, unable to grasp, unable to react. The blood lurched up out of her mouth, almost in a drool fashion, and herhead was also bleeding onto the wall. She saw Darkury leave, blur out, and then come into focus in her sight, with the sword. There was a satisfied smile on Darkury's face as she rushed forward, her sword raised.  
  
_get__…….up……._ Her body wouldn't obey. _up__…….up…… __  
  
Get up.  
  
Get UP.  
  
UpupupupupupupupupUP.  
  
GET. **UP**  
  
IDIOT.  
  
IDIOT!  
  
GET UP!!!!  
  
**UP!!!!!!!**_  
  
It didn't work. Mercury was spent, spent mentally, and Darkury was upon her. But her body refused to quit.  
  
_GET UP!!!!_ Her cheeks flushed. **_GET UP NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**_  
  
_The adrenaline kicked in. Mercury's body scissored up spontaneously, not on mental command, but rather through the sheer power of her hormones, which had disembodied the brain, and now, only the body responded at the moment.  
  
"ARRRGH!!!!"  
  
The sword went into Mercury's arm. The nerves responded, and the brain suddenly sprang back from the abyss. Mercury's eyes opened, and she staggered to the side as the sword landed in the wall.  
_  
_"Getting sloppy."  
  
Darkury's hand came down onto Mercury's wrist with a firm grip. Mercury's eyes widened as the purple energy began to appear, ready to bring her back. The evil flashed in her mind, and the fear again took over._  
  
"**NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**"_  
  
Mercury struggled violently as she wrested her hand from Darkury's grip. She scrambled over to the side of the reddened room, gasping as she held her arm.  
  
"You won't give up?" The sword was brought in Mercury's direction once more. "You are a fool. You'd really rather not die peacefully, so I'll slit your throat and decorate my sword with your insides."  
"You'll….." Mercury could only cower at the thought. "You….turned my friends against me, you'll kill me."  
"Of course. I told you already."  
  
The sword lunged at Mercury once more. Mercury turned to dodge it went to the side of Darkury once more, but to no avail. The sword came down on her back, slicing open her sailor suit. With a scream, Mercury went down on her knees. Then, she was again lifted, and she flew again. There was a loud slam under her, and splinters of what was once the table were all around her, showering down like rain.  
  
"Though our spirit was one, we are but two different people now." Darkury, though clearly the victor, was also wiped out from the fight. She brought the sword up one more time. "And for one of us, there is nothing left….."  
  
Mercury looked up in desperation, trying to summon any alternative that could and could not be found. Her eye caught a glass-strewn object from the destroyed table. It was a framed photograph. In it were Ami, Makoto, Usagi and Rei.  
  
"…..but death……"  
  
_Come on, Ami-chan! Sing for us! __  
Welcome back, Ami-chan!  
Thank you, Ami-chan  
I…..I won't fight Ami-chan.  
  
Ami-chan.  
Ami-chan.  
amichan….  
……mi……_  
  
The sword came down.  
  
Then a shout. Shouting…..Mercury…  
  
Her hand had the leg.  
  
The sword camedown….. **CLANG** _The shattering of wood, all over Mercury, like hard blossom petals. But……… __  
Darkury stagger….summon…..the last adrenaline…..  
  
Open…..  
  
AIM……..  
_  
  
Darkury looked at Mercury.  
Mercury looked at Darkury.  
  
The moment passed.  
  
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!" As Darkury swung back, after Mercury had dodged the blow and grabbed the table leg…  
  
The table leg shattered into  
A little dagger.  
  
There was no time. No time to dodge, or to do anything else. With all of the strength left in her heart and her body, with all of the love she could muster for her friends that had not yet been tapped during the fight for her life and her soul, Mercury plunged the perfectly sharpened wood into the left side of Darkury's stomach.  
  
"…..No."  
  
Mercury grit her teeth as the blood seeped onto the wood, crawling down her hand and onto her arm. With a pained scream, as the pain in her arm had returned, she sliced her opponent like a fruit, bringing the embedded object from the left side to her right side. The entire front of Darkury's white soldier suit was now stained dark red as she fell to her knees.  
  
"Huhh….huuuuuuuuh……"  
  
The girl's eyes widened as she saw dark blood -her blood - pour onto her enemy.  
Unable to form words, for in its new pain her body suddenly forgot how to breathe, Darkury's mouth formed into a perfect O as her thoughts - and her brief, violent life - flashed before her. She had underestimated her opponent, for in truth, even the good guys could be as ruthless as her. But, perhaps, it was a lesson learned too late.  
  
"…..Good bye."  
  
Mercury watched as her dark side, now blue in the face, red as a pomegranate and wide-eyed as a doe, double over like a warrior before her head hit the floor. Her lips quivered, her strength waned and weariness was about to fall like a tidal wave, but yet she could not find herself able to truly mourn. For Darkury was a strong opponent.  
  
"Good bye…."  
  
Mercury - Ami - had never killed what one could consider a real person, not even with Usagi when the spirit of Darkury had presided within her. But she knew, she knew now, that perhaps worse things were to come, and that Darkury - renegade though she was - was only the beginning.  
  
_So….this is the end…_  
  
A look of determination came onto Mercury's face. She could no longer hesitate to fight, even if it meant the end of her own life.  
  
_For my friends…._  
  
She turned around for a moment, closing her eyes. It was over.  
  
It was all over.  
  
"**RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!**"  
  
Suddenly, she was up again. Her bloodied hands were clenched around Mercury's neck, even as her scream, her animal cry of sheer rage, echoed through the girl's ears. There was no time to react. CRAAAAAAAAAAAASH Mercury flew. All around her, glass tinkled as she was thrown by an inhuman strength right onto the small side street. She rolled around three times, slamming into a garbage pail.  
  
"**_FOOL._**"  
  
Mercury looked up. There she was, in all of her fury, and in all of her hellish power. Her hair whipped around her, and her eyes were a bright purple. The youma sign crackled with energy, as did her sword.  
  
"**_QUEEN METARIA SHALL KNOW THAT A SAILOR HAS FALLEN UNDER THE HAND OF HER SISTER._**" Darkury put her foot on Mercury's chest, and raised the sword, which gleamed red and purple in the hazy moonlight. "**_DIE._**"  
  
Mercury cowered. She could not move, for she could not gather the strength quickly enough to throw Darkury off of her. Nor did she have anything to counterattack. She closed her eyes, and waited for the end. **FLAAAAAAASH** The end fell upon her quickly. The blood splattered again onto her, and she expected pain to accompany it. Yet to her surprise, there was none. There was no pain, no feeling. Simply a wind that fanned her face.  
  
Then she opened her eyes.  
  
"You first."  
  
Darkury's eyes were bugged out, her body limper than before. The blood gushed again, from her stomach, but also from a new wound, from the chest, where her locket was. Protruding from the shattered brooch was a glowing steel sword.  
  
"Uh….."  
  
The sword clattered from Darkury's hands once more, hitting the floor with a loud, shattering bang. Upon contact with the street, the weapon cracked into several pieces.  
  
"……hu……."  
  
Mercury's eyes darted up as the sword exited Darkury's body. The black-hearted soldier fell to her side, revealing a larger figure behind her, with her blood staining his weapon.  
  
"…_You._"  
  
Mercury finally found her voice. Her body stiffened at the very sight of her unlikely savior.  
  
"Yes….me." With a smirk, Kunzite examined the blood on his sword. "She really was quite a pill. Backstabbing me like that…..she was quite unintelligent for someone of her…origin."  
  
Mercury began to shiver.violently. He sheathed his sword, and began to come towards her.  
  
"Y….." Mercury squeaked. "You did this, d-didn't you…"  
"Did I?" Kunzite looked amused. "No. I wish I could claim credit for Darkury's return. Unfortunately, her story is true. Unfortunately for you. I was almost too late. No….not that time."  
  
_He…..he…._  
  
For a moment, Mercury had forgotten about the past in the realization that the one whom she had thought to be her enemy had, in fact, saved her from death. This she could not completely reconcile with the heartless, power-hungry general that she had beheld in the Dark Kingdom. There was something else there, something that almost cared.  
  
He had _saved_ her.  
  
"….NO!"  
  
The moment was a fleeting one. He had begun to bend down, and she could see the hungry look glimmer in his eyes. It looked worse than before, more greedy than it had been in the Dark Kingdom, for now, there was again nothing to stand between them.  
  
_Not that time. But perhaps _this_ time…._  
  
Kunzite's eyes widened as Mercury screamed. He was close enough to have been in danger when Mercury found what she was looking for. The shard missed his chest by a mere wisp of air, mere molecules, even, as the two players jumped up.  
  
"STAY **BAAAAAAACK!!!!**"  
  
Mercury shook as she held the handle of the ice sword shard toward Kunzite's throat. The adrenaline impossibly rose up again, and she gave a growl.  
  
"I…." Kunzite's voice was full of surprise, though only for a moment. "….I see."  
"St-stay back." Mercury cried angrily. "Even if this wasn't because of you. Even if you saved my life. You won't touch me ever again. I won't let you! We're enemies now!"  
  
There was a long, long silence at this, as the two warriors stared at each other, their weapons ready for war. Only the slightest shed of an unnamed reluctance kept them at bay from tearing each other's throats out.  
  
_I'm….ot….._ Mercury took in the air. _….Not…..afraid to die…._  
  
"…..Hahaha!"  
  
Suddenly, Kunzite laughed. It was a harsh laugh, unlike anything Mercury had heard from him before. He thrust his sword into his scabbard.  
  
"I'm turning into Nephrite! What a fool I am," he almost roared. "Heh. There is no star bright enough to pierce the darkness anymore. Perhaps I _should_ have just left you to her, rather than thinking….that I could bring you back to me."  
"Then….you made….a big mistake."  
"Indeed." To Mercury's surprise, he turned away. "Yes, I forgot. We are enemies now. I suppose killing you later may be more pleasurable than killing you now, anyhow." He began to walk off. "I prefer my prey to be ready for me. Remember that, for next time my sword will not forget to strike you."  
"……Fine."  
  
Mercury wished she didn't have to end with just that - she was exhausted and her head wasn't straight enough to think up a more proper farewell to her enemy. However, she had no choice; there was a laugh, and with a throw of his cape the general was gone.  
  
_My path is clear._ Mercury fell to her knees, dropping the ice shard as the last of the black petals faded away.. _There is……no turning back._  
  
Meanwhile, Darkury, friendless and helpless in death, flowed with a dark purple aura as she transformed back into Ami, but was no threat. For, as Mercury made her choice, Ami's body became stiff and cold. Then, as if by some magical precedent, Ami's body became ashen, became ash, and soon nothing more of Ami, not even the black wristband, or the sword, except for a pile of dust on the ground. 


	9. ENDING: Drive me La SOLDIER: HYBRID Mix

_I feel no remorse. __  
  
Perhaps it is evil to think such a thing. Perhaps I am wrong. But….I cannot help it.  
  
She was me, my dark side personified. I never realized just how strong she was within me; was it that easy? Did I have such a hate within me? Was it from years of isolation, to the point where it cared for nobody? Was she lashing out against what she thought was wrong, what she had been incarnate to believe?  
  
I don't know. I'll never know. I'll never know why this evil came from me. I thought I had rid myself of it. Maybe, even now, I do not…..  
  
…..perhaps it is best to leave such thoughts with no contemplations. After Kunzite, I don't think I know anything about motives, or evil, or anything anymore.  
  
I look down at the unconscious sailor soldiers as I come upon the old, concrete playground. They've returned to normal. It is already almost midnight now; come morning, judging by how much energy they seem to have taken in, they may not remember anything.  
  
Perhaps that is for the best. I would rather they forgot all about it; I want to. My strength is almost gone from this fight; all I want is rest this one time.  
  
So, I'm left alone once more. One more thing for me to be alone in, one more thing that separates me from all the others. In this, I am the evil one. Or I was. She is gone now. He is no longer with me. It's all done now.  
  
…..Perhaps…..?_  
  
There is darkness. A great darkness. There is no light, for the light has not appeared yet.  
  
Then, a burst of white....  
  
_Vividly, Secretly, into: La Soldier....._   
  
Ami Mizuno opens her eyes. Around her is blue water, as she lays under the sea, surrounded by bright coral and fish. She reaches her arm up, and it breaks through the surface of the water.  
  
**_It's not a problem if I say it isn't _****_  
I'm always docile, I hide my true feelings _**  
  
When her arm appears at the surface, it turns white. It is clothed in a sailor glove. Ami showly emerges from the water, her body transforming into Sailor Mercury's.  
  
**_"No joke! _****_  
I won't wait any longer!"_**   
  
Sailor Mercury appears on top of the water. She is in her full sailor regalia, with the star tambourine in hand. She begins to walk on the water, her heels making ripples on the surface. She has a determined look on her face.  
  
**_A kid can't always be about love! _****_  
The source of your worries is your enemies!_**   
  
Standing on the shore is a dark figure. Turning around, it is revealed to be Sailor Darkury, playing a strangely-shaped violin. Her eyes flash red as she holds up her bow upon seeing Mercury on the water.  
  
**_Laments veil the genies! _****_  
Being so close, don't let it end  
To be hidden on the mission road..._**  
  
The bow transforms into an ice blade. Mercury closes her eyes as she approaches. Seeing her approach, Darkury takes her sword and slashes it onto the water. It splits the sea in half, coming towards Mercury head on.  
  
**_It's not a problem, make a bet on your hopes _****_  
Right now, just fly!_**   
  
At the last moment, Mercury jumps up, missing the attack. She almost floats as she stay up there, holding her star tambourine up towards the sky.  
  
**_Love is a mysterious war. _****_  
Love is always a war.  
Repeated for thousands of years..._**   
  
With an angry look on her face, Darkury jumps up to face her. The two float momentarily, eyeing each other as they prepare their attacks.  
  
**_"The soldier of love and wisdom, Sailor Mercury!_********_  
Douse yourself with water and repent!" _**  
  
Mercury's star tambourine flashes. A blast goes toward Darkury. In response, Darkury uses her sword to slice the attack in half, and she throws herself as Mercury.  
  
**_Always pursuing the end of the rainbow _****_  
I feel that I don't know the real you  
If you have become sad from pursuing me..._**   
  
Darkury pushes Mercury down, and Mercury begins to fall back down towards the water. Darkury then pursues her, sword drawn.  
  
**_Try me, Mystery, Drive me, Mercury! _****_  
If you yearn for a miracle there is the wisdom's rhapsody!_**   
  
Mercury opens her eyes just before she hits the water. She stoper herself from falling, and she throws herself to the side, allowing her to miss Darkury's attack.  
  
**_Try me, Mystery, Drive me, Mercury! _****_  
If you have a childlike yearning there is the miracle of the rhapsody!_**   
  
Mercury goes back up, and closes her eyes. The sign of Mercury appears on her forehead, replacing the tiara.  
  
**_Though it's painful to go on like this..... _****_  
Even if we meet again tomorrow........_**   
  
Darkury's eyes widen as Mercury is bathed in blue. She takes her sword up, and blasts at Mercury.  
  
**_....or in two hundred years, it's the same. _****_  
Our meeting is foreordained......_**   
  
The blast bounces hamlessly off of Mercury's body. Mercury glows brightly, as bright as a star.  
  
**_And I will show you both miracles and dreams!_**   
  
Mercury flies at Darkury, her eyes shining. Darkury brings her sword up, and brings it down onto Mercury's back, only to have it shatter into small pieces. Mercury flies right through Darkury, and Darkury's body disintegrates on contact with the power.  
  
**_It's not a problem, just believe in your dreams! _****_  
Spur on your courage!_**  
  
Mercury lands on the beach, and the aura disappears. She fall to her knees, but at the sounds of shouting, looks up.  
  
**_For when I bathe in it, I am transformed...._**   
  
Jupiter, Mercury, Moon and even Venus are rushing towards her with open arms, laughing. Mercury's eyes widen, and she cries with joy as they all crash into her.  
  
**_Vividly, secretly....._**   
  
Sailor Luna rushes in late, but trips as she comes forth on a rock. She rolls into the sea, and the foam transforms her back into a plush cat doll.  
  
**_Eternally, beautifully...._**  
  
The girls cannot help but laugh as Luna drags herself out of the water. She pulls her sand-caked self onto Mercury, and Mercury smiles.  
  
**_Vividly, secretly....._**   
  
Mercury looks at each of the soldiers and smiles. To her, however, she does not see the soldiers, but rather, the faces of Makoto, Rei, Usagi, and even Minako - her destined eternal friends.  
  
**_into_****_.....LA SOLDIER!_**  
  
The five are with each other as the sun finally rises on the beach. Then, the image fades, until it is finally  
  
**THE END**


End file.
